The Bed He Made
by NedeserThul
Summary: After her final victory over her late master Darth Baras, Sith Lord Gira Kessar returns to the Imperial capital to celebrate with some R and R. Malavai Quinn is still living with the blunder he made back on Correllia, suffering for it. It all comes to a head after a night out at the local cantina.
1. Chapter 1: Repercussions

**I do not own Star Wars, the Old Republic or any of the characters involved in this story. I just hope to add to the brilliance created by others. Please review and criticize. I'm still pretty new at this.**

 **BTW: There may (or may not be) some more mature content later.**

Malavai Quinn was running diagnostics on the ship the same way he had a dozen times before on a dozen worlds. It had become a task of the subconscious and it gave his mind the opportunity to contemplate.

It was over. Darth Baras was dead and the Sith Lord known as Gira Kessar had been named the Wrath of the Empire and given a seat on the Dark Council. It was a great day to be part of her crew – unless you were Malavai Quinn, her husband. He leaned back in the pilot seat and looked up at the bulkhead. Gira Kessar had met Quinn on Balmorra where he was stuck because of a dead-beat Moff who had since been killed – by Quinn, thanks to Lord Kessar. Since Quinn had signed on to the crew, Lord Kessar had made obvious advances on him and it had taken quite some time for her to break through the rigid military exterior and he had resisted valiantly. However, Quinn could not resist the inevitable. They had begun to sleep together and Quinn had even fallen in love with her. They had gotten married and everything was going so well. Their mission had grown closer to fruition when Quinn had received a transmission from Darth Baras commanding that Quinn kill Lord Kessar - and the Imperial Captain's world was shattered. He had immediately left the ship and gone to the single cantina on the space station in the midst of the Imperial Fleet. There he had drunk himself nearly into oblivion. The young twi'lek woman who had traveled with Lord Kessar since the beginning, Vette her name was, found him nearly incoherent. Since it was so out of character for him, she had half carried and half dragged him back to the ship, seriously worried about his health. Shortly after receiving the order from Darth Baras, the ship had arrived at Correllia and Quinn had used a clever ruse to get Lord Kessar alone and ambushed her with a pair of high tech, exquisitely programmed assault droids. The whole scheme was perfect - and it failed utterly. Lord Kessar had demolished the droids and, in a fit of rage, given Quinn a concussion, six broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder before allowing him to live and come back aboard the ship in her service. Quinn still remembered his hollow words, "I'll understand if things are going to be different for a while."

"DIFFERENT?" she had rounded on him, nothing left on her face but pain, anger and incredulity. "DIFFERENT! Quinn you betrayed me! You, my husband whom I love more than anything else in this universe, turned on me for a fat bastard who is trying to betray the Emperor, the Dark Council and the Empire itself."

She had put both gloved hands over her face and whispered, grief weighing down her voice. "I don't know if we can ever be the same again."

That memory was burned into his skull. Now they were back on Dromund Kaas, capital world of the Sith Empire and they were going to celebrate. Malavai Quinn was miserable. The ships intercom went off and the melodious voice of Lord Kessar rang out. "All crew members meet in the coms room for new orders."

With a sigh, Quinn stood, checked over his crisp gray Imperial Officer's uniforms for any deficiencies and then strode to the comms room. In the room were the crew of the ship. Vette, the young twi'lek woman who had been freed by Lord Kessar, was leaning against the wall where she normally did. Lieutenant Pierce, the Black Ops grunt who would rather shoot something than discuss anything, sat on the bench, running his dark eyes over his blaster rifle. Broonmark, a talz warrior who lusted for battle – always – was pacing restlessly. Jaesa Willsaam, the Sith apprentice who used her unique ability to read force user's true natures and her passions to kill them, slouched seductively against the wall, glaring at Quinn. She had never quite forgiven him for his indiscretion over Correllia. Quinn stood next to the holocomm's projector and waited. It was only a few moments before Lord Kessar entered - very uncomfortable moments during which Quinn swore that Jaesa was using the force to nudge his throat. Lord Kessar was a pureblood Sith with deep red skin. She was of medium height and drop-dead gorgeous. The armored suit hugged every inch of her from her curved hips, all the way down to her boots. Above her waste she wore a chest plate from which hung a cloak. With the grace of a dancer, she glided to the center of the room. "I am ordering some R and R for everyone for the next two weeks. Don't go too far in case something pressing arises but by all means, enjoy yourselves. Dismissed."

Pierce gave a whoop and all but ran to the crew quarters. Jaesa Willsaam headed straight for the boarding ramp in a blurr of force powered motion. Broonmark was right behind her and Vette followed Pierce to the crews quarters. Quinn turned and headed back towards the cockpit to go over the systems one more time. Lord Kessar watched Captain Quinn leave before heading back to her own quarters.

Gira Kessar stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her emotions were in utter turmoil. She still loved Malavai Quinn but she didn't trust him anymore. It had been some time now since Correllia and he had proven his devotion. Only one thing troubled her now. What if, in the midst of a crisis, Quinn decided that the Empire would be better off with her dead again? Would he turn on her again? Turning away from her reflection, Lord Kessar unbuckled her armor and cloak and stripped off the jumpsuit beneath. Knowing that the ship's droid, 2V-R8 would be by to set everything straight, she left it on the floor. Gliding over to her wardrobe, she opened it and began to flip through. For the most part it contained more suits of armor for different situations but there were a few other outfits inside. Several dresses, trousers, skirts, blouses, a couple of athletic workout outfits and even a very revealing dancer's getup she had warn for Quinn were also in there. Picking through, she took out a long black dress with slits in the sides to reveal her shapely legs and a low cut front. She also wore high-heeled black boots and took her black hair out of the utilitarian pony tail. Knowing a little about the ins and outs of dressing ones hair, she brushed it and straightened and curled it slightly. Looking in the mirror again, Gira nodded in satisfaction. She looked irresistible. Giving herself her most alluring and winning smile, she strode out the door, leaving one of her twin lightsabers behind. Pierce and Vette were gone as were Broonmark and Jaesa. 2V was wobbling about, making sure everything was at peak efficiency. Lord Kessar was about to leave when she heard footsteps in the corridors coming from the cockpit and going towards the crews quarters. Reaching out with the force, Gira felt her heart skip a beat as she sensed her husband. Almost angry that he hadn't left like the others, Lord Kessar, stormed towards the direction of his footsteps. He had just opened the hatch to the crew quarters. "Captain Quinn." She called. He turned and snapped to attention before bowing. "How can I serve you, my Lord?"

She strode up to him, looking in his blue eyes. Even though her emotions were in utter turmoil, she managed to keep a completely level voice as she said, "I ordered R and R for the entire crew. That includes you, Captain Quinn. Why are you still aboard this ship?"

Quinn kept his eyes front, above her head, and replied levelly, "I'm beginning mine now, my Lord. There were just a couple of systems that I had to check."

Silence followed before Lord Kessar huffed and said, "If the captain of this vessel will not take time to himself then neither will the crew. Moral will drop and efficiency will go with it. Am I clear, Captain?"

"Of course, my Lord. I am just about go catch up on my reading." Answered the captain. Lord Kessar glared, daring him and begging him to look at her. As always, he remained completely professional, just as he had before their relationship had begun and after it had ended. Unable to bare it any longer, she turned away and left the ship. Quinn went into his quarters, changed into an imperial issued officer's leisure uniform and began to tend to his service uniform. He then polished his blasters and inventoried his medical supplies. When all that was done, he rolled onto his bunk and tried to sleep. Sleep never came.

Lord Kessar strode into the cantina in Kaas city. As soon as she entered, all eyes turned to her. Vette was surrounded by a half dozen males of different species, all offering her drinks and trying their luck to win a night with her. Pierce was in a civilian jacket, shirt and trousers but still in his military boots. He tipped a glass at her, a lustful light in his eyes. She didn't think he recognized her and that pleased her. Flashing him a winning smile, she walked up to the bar, her hips swinging. It felt good to look good and have so much attention on her that wasn't trying to kill her. The bar tender, a chiss she knew named Marn from her times in the capital city, winked at her and said, "Well, well my Lord – you look ravishing. What are you drinking tonight? It's on the house."

She smiled and pointed out a very, very strong liquor. It was poured and she downed it. The fire felt good in her system. The bartender poured her another one, murmuring, "On the house," as he did. This one she sipped delicately as she surveyed the room. There was dancing going on down in a lowered section. Vette was down there, dancing and surrounded by eager males. Kessar laughed and contemplated joining when a twi'lek waitress in a dancer's outfit whispered in Marn's ear. The chiss male's eyes widened. Reaching into a cabinet, he pulled out an extremely expensive bottle and poured a triple shot of it. "Here you go, my Lord - ordered by the big fellow over there in the corner – the one wearing a gundark leather jacket and the combat boots."

Kessar knew who it was. Pierce still didn't recognize her. She laughed and took the drink. "He asked if you would go over and drink with him, my Lord." Said the twi'lek waitress. Lord Kessar shrugged and got up. Tossing her hair, she strode over to the corner, making her movements as sensual as she could. The look on Pierce's face was utterly priceless as she slid into the seat across from him and crossed her long legs, a sultry smile on her beautiful red face. "M-my Lord! I – I apologize for my impudence. I thought… I mean I hadn't imagined that…"

She laughed again and allowed her foot to rub against his bulging calf. "Relax, Lieutenant. This is a good drink. Thank you for getting it for me."

Still not completely at ease and utterly surprised at the feeling of her foot rubbing against his leg seductively, Pierce could only manage, "My pleasure, my Lord."

After a moment, Kessar sighed and leaned forward, giving Pierce an amazing view down the front of her dress. Cooing slightly, she whispered, "I said relax, Lieutenant Pierce. We are here to have fun."

Pierce finally relaxed and leaned forward, brazenly enjoying the view. Downing what was left in her glass, Lord Kessar leaned back, obscuring his view of her breasts and smiling tauntingly. "I think I am going to dance."

Pierce's eyes widened as she stood and extended a hand. "I am not much of a dancer, my lord. I am afraid I would step on your feet."

She smiled again, her hand still extended. "Well then at least come and watch. I promise you won't be bored."

She winked at him lazily, a plan developing in her mind - a plan to hurt her husband. The alcohol had dulled her emotional turmoil and left little but resentment.

Pierce downed the rest of his drink and followed her over to the dancing section. Pierce sat at a table overlooking the dancers while Lord Kessar walked into the midst of them, beginning to sway to the beat of the music. Vette saw her and began to dance her way over to her. Kessar whispered something in the young twi'lek's ear and they both laughed. Soon they were both swaying and twisting to the music, their bodies moving hypnotically. Most of the females soon sat down, glaring angrily at them as their former partners surrounded and tried to dance with the two mesmerizing women. It wasn't long before fights began to break out and the two women eased their way to the sidelines, the young twi'lek being guided by the older woman. They both sat down, laughing at the brawl that had broken out. "That was so much fun." Laughed Lord Kessar. "But I think I'm done for the night. I'm heading back to the ship."

Pierce stood and said, "I'll walk you back, my Lord – not that you need it. You coming kid?"

Vette _psshed_. "The night is still young and so am I. I'll see the two of you later."

Kessar strode out into the night and took a deep breath of the air. The big man beside her pulled a box out of his jacket and from it he pulled a nicotine stick. Hiding her disgust, she strode up and took it just as he lit it. "You can smoke that now – or you can come with me back to the ship and we can… get better acquainted."

Pierce looked at the glowing smoke in her hand and then at her barely illuminated smile of invitation. With a polite motion towards the airspeeders and an expectant grin, Pierce said, "After you, my Lord"

Quinn couldn't sleep so he did exactly what he told Lord Kessar that he would. He began to read all the manuals and instructional books on his personal datapad. He enjoyed the quiet. Suddenly, the door to the boarding ramp hissed open and laughter filled the ship. "Easy, my Lord. Clearly, alcohol hits you more slowly than the rest of us. It wouldn't do for you to hurt yourself."

An almost girlish giggle followed and Quinn's heart skipped a beat. "You're only saying that because if I hurt myself, you would lose this opportunity, Lieutenant."

The sound of kissing and low moans followed before Lord Kessar said, "Wait, not the crew quarters. Quinn is still in there, probably 'catching up on his reading.'"

The scorn in her voice was lost on Quinn as he realized what was going on. His heart began to burn and ache at the same time. Quickly, as he heard the door to Lord Kessar's quarters slide shut, he dressed himself in the single set of civilian clothes that he had and left the ship as quickly as he could, moving blindly in the general direction of the cantina.

Inside the cantina, it had slowed considerably. Quinn went to the bar and ordered the most expensive stuff they had. After downing a half a dozen drinks, he slowed down, pondering everything that had happened. The only conclusion he ever came to was a simple truth. Everything that had happened to him and his Lord, everything that had gone wrong between them was singularly his fault. Slamming his fist on the counter, he growled, "Give me another."

As he sipped his drink, he looked over at the dancing area. Vette was still there, still surrounded by males but she looked like she was having trouble. They were all drunk and were prodding and pinching her. She couldn't get out because every time she tried to leave, they barred her path. Quinn downed his drink and strode down to the dancing pit, throwing people to the side before he grabbed the shoulder of one young human who was trying to grope Vette. "I think, gentlemen, that the young lady has had her fill of your company. Please let her be and go on with your night."

The human wore the robes of an acolyte and his eyes were yellow. "How dare you touch an apprentice of one of the Dark Council, Captain. This slave was simply entertaining us."

"She isn't a slave, acolyte. She is the ally of Lord Kessar. You would do well to leave her be." Said Quinn. The acolyte shoved Quinn back and drew his lightsaber. "I don't care who she serves, or you. You have made your last mistake."

Quinn realized that this would be the end of all his problems. His death would end all his pain. The blade rose but a cool, feminine voice said, "Put your blade down, acolyte."

All turned to see a tall woman in Sith robes. At her hip was a double bladed lightsaber. She was quite beautiful. "This man and this young woman truly do serve Lord Kessar, Wrath of the Empire. If you hurt them, you will invite that wrath on your heads."

Everyone backed up and the acolyte deactivated his lightsaber. Quinn looked toward Vette, "Are you alright, Vette?"

She nodded. "Man do men know how to kill a buzz. I'm heading back to the ship for the night. Comin' Cap?"

He chuckled and shook his head. On an impulse, he handed her a hold-out blaster and said, "Just in case they didn't get the idea." She thanked him and headed out. Turning to the Sith Lord in front of him, Quinn bowed. "Thank you, my lord. Darth Nox, isn't it?"

Darth Nox nodded her head. "It is indeed. You must be Malavai Quinn. You have quite the reputation, Captain. I suggest you take care when you leave tonight. I doubt that that acolyte is going to forget this."

With an incline of the head, she strode towards one of the back rooms. Quinn went back to the bar and, being rather tired of ships rations, ordered a small meal. The food was good. When he had finished, he sat sipping on an ale. Slowly, the place calmed down. The chiss bar tender looked apologetic and said, "I'm sorry sir but we're closing up."

Quinn paid him without a word and headed out into the night. He hadn't made it a block before a cold voice said, "Hello again, Captain."

Whirling around, slightly inebriated, Quinn saw the acolyte he had stopped from assaulting Vette. Behind him were five men, off duty soldiers by the look of them. Quinn didn't say a word. He just looked at them. The acolyte examined a gloved hand as he said, "I can't kill you. If I did, I would be dead. Only a fool would break the Wrath's favorite play thing. However, a beating wouldn't go amiss. Teach this fool some respect, men."

They moved in and surrounded Quinn but before any of them could lay a hand on him, he attacked. With a hard right, he dropped one in his tracks and kicked another as the man tried to lay hands on him. The fight became rough and dirty then. Quinn punched and kicked and head-butted anyone who came too close. It wasn't long before Quinn stood alone facing the Sith acolyte, sporting numerous cracked ribs and a dislocated jaw which he immediately snapped back into place with a low groan. The acolyte clapped mockingly. "Very good, Captain. You surprised me. I thought you more of a paper pusher than an actual warrior."

"Oh I'm just full of surprises." Quinn growled. The acolyte stretched out his hands Quinn flew back against the wall of a nearby building. The already cracked ribs broke and he could hardly breathe. As he was pinned there, Quinn spat towards the acolyte. The young Sith began using bolts of force lightning, shocking the captain over and over again, laughing all the while. "You won't die, Captain. You will just wish that you were dead."

Lord Kessar lay on her bed. Lieutenant Pierce had left about an hour before to go smoke his nicotine stick. He had been more fun than she had thought he would have been, employing years of experience in the time they had spent together and fulfilling her quite skillfully. Part of her wondered why she hadn't made him such an offer before. Despite all this, the pain had returned. She still couldn't keep Quinn out of her mind. Throwing on a tank top, a loose pair of cotton trousers and a light cloak, she headed towards the crew quarters. Inside was Vette, reading her datapad in her bunk and Broonmark snoring softly. Quinn was gone. "Is everything okay, Gira?"

Kessar smiled at her younger friend and said, "I think so. Just checking around."

She went to the cargo compartment, the comms room, the conference room and the cockpit but Quinn was nowhere to be found. She wasn't really worried. Quinn was a man who could easily take care of himself. She returned to the lounge and sat cross-legged on the couch. Just as she settled into a meditative state, the boarding ramp hissed opened and angry voices came in. "Damnit, Pierce! Get the hell off of me. I can walk without anyone else's help, least of all yours."

"I don't care what you say, Captain. I'm not going to let you keel over. What would Lord Kessar think if her husband died and I could have helped?"

"I doubt you give a damn, Lieutenant now let me go!" shouted Quinn, his voice obviously wheezy. This was followed by a groan and fit of coughing. "That's it, Captain. I'm taking you to the medbay."

"No! I can make it with the help of the droid. 2V, get over here and help me. Don't touch me, Pierce. I swear, I'll break your hand if you try to again."

Coming around the corner, Kessar saw her husband in a bloody and burned heap on the ground. His left arm was curled up against his chest, his breathing was utterly ragged and long burns covered him. "Pierce, get him to a kolto tank. NOW!"

She said. Pierce bent but leapt back as a vibro knife flashed. "Don't you touch me." Quinn growled as he stood slowly to his feet and began to limp pathetically towards the medbay. 2V was soon there and helped the injured man onto a sick bed. "Put him in the tank, 2V" said Kessar anxiously. "I'm sorry, my Lord but there are several injections and that he will need. Plus, if my scan is correct, he has broken ribs that will need to be secured or else they may puncture his lung."

Kessar covered her mouth in horror. "Oh Malavai! What in the stars happened to you?" she whispered. Quinn grabbed a kolto syringe and began injecting into several different areas, hissing every time the needle punctured his skin. He never even looked at her. Looking towards the droid, Kessar said, "Take care of him, 2V. Alert me if anything changes for the worst. Quinn, you will report to my quarters when you are cleared."

Returning to her room, Kessar fell to her knees and shuttered rapidly. She had nearly gotten her husband, whom she still loved dearly despite his treachery, killed after driving him out onto a binge by making love to a man he absolutely despised. Tears rolled down her red cheeks and she sobbed. She had to find out what had happened and why.

 **Updated May 22, 2016**


	2. Chapter 2: Rebuilding Bridges

**Note: I do not own Star Wars, The Old Republic or any of the characters involved. I only did my best to add to the brilliance of others. I hope you enjoy it.**

 **Warning: Explicit content ahead. (There is sex.) You have been warned.**

Quinn woke up on the bed of the medbay. His bones still ached slightly but the kolto had knitted them and all the cuts he had were now gone. His concussion was also gone and he felt much better. The force lightning burns had only improved minimally but since none of them were severe anyway, Quinn paid them no mind. Quickly, he stood and put on the uniform that had been placed there for him. He grabbed a handful of stims and kolto injectors and left the med bay. At first, he headed towards his Lord's quarters but then went straight to cockpit. He couldn't really say why he was defying the order. It was less than ten minutes before she found him there, running diagnostics and making a list of systems that would need optimizing. "I told you to report to me in my quarters, Captain. Why is it that I had to come find you and that I found you here in the cockpit?"

Captain Quinn stood rigidly at attention, looking directly over her head. "The systems need diagnosed and optimized, my Lord." He said rather lamely. Her eyes blazed and she growled, "If it were any other person who had disobeyed my direct order, I would have killed them."

She was about to say something else when her eyes widened, the situation dawning on her. "My quarters, now Captain."

He quick marched after her. When the door shut, closing them in, she rounded on him. "What the hell is in your head, Malavai?"

He didn't answer, standing straight at attention. "Why are you trying to get yourself killed?"

In a completely dispassionate voice, Quinn said, "What gives you that idea, My Lord?"

She sat down on the bed, one hand massaging her temples as she replied, "You came in the other night covered in burns I recognize as from force lightning, eight broken or cracked ribs, a broken clavicle and a concussion. Where did all of that come from?" He was about to reply when she stood up and all but begged, "Malavai, look at me!"

For the first time in months, Quinn looked his wife in the eyes. The pain and fear in them cut him deeply. The earnest look of concern made his heart ache. After a moment she whispered, "What happened to you?"

Clearing his throat as if giving a presentation, Quinn returned his eyes full front and began to explain. "It was a simple bar room brawl, my lord. The other fellow simply had a few friends there. It was six on one and I gave much better than I got. The only reason I showed up the way I did was because the sixth fellow was a Sith Acolyte."

Kessar stood opened mouthed for several moments before spluttering, "You started a fight with a Sith Acolyte and five other men? What the kriffing hell were you thinking?"

Quinn raised one hand in protest, "I never said I started the fight, my lord. It just happened as the result of too many drinks."

"How much did you drink?"

"Not me, my lord. They were getting a little too free with one of the other patrons and I put a stop to it. They ambushed me later."

"Where was your blaster, Quinn?"

Quinn paused for a moment before replying simply, "I loaned it out to Vette, the patron who was being harassed."

Lord Kessar's full dark lips formed and 'O' as she nodded her head. She was surprised at Quinn. He had never really got on too well with Vette. "Why wouldn't you let Pierce help you…" She didn't even finish the question. It was a stupid one and she cleared her throat. After a moment she looked at him and said, "You will not intentionally engage in activity for the purpose of ending your life. Do you understand?"

"I understand perfectly my Lord."

Kessar narrowed her eyes and walked up to him. "Look. At. Me." she whispered. He looked down again. Only then did she see the brokenness in his eyes. "What happened to you, Malavai?"

Malavai maintained eye contact for several moments before looking up. "After my great blunder over Correllia, I knew that it would be some time before things were anywhere near back to the way they had been before. It was only the other night that I truly understood; Things would never be the same again. I thought I could live with that so long as I stayed in your service, my Lord. But now I see clearly. I can never go back. My devotion is to you and only you over all else until the very end. I pray that end will come quickly. I can't bear to live like this anymore. I can't live knowing that you are taking other lovers and I must stand aside but I have found that I am too much of a coward to end my own life. The only thing left for me to do is to bring death on myself. I can't do this in battle lest I bring death on a comrade. Times where we are not fighting for our lives seem to be my only option now."

Silence followed his narrative. Kessar sat heavily on her bed. "You are trying to kill yourself because of what happened on Correllia."

He didn't reply. His face remained completely dispassionate. After several minutes of silence, she asked. "That's it, then. You came to this conclusion and you're going to try and commit suicide by proxy."

Finally, something in Quinn shifted, or maybe broke, and he looked beseeching at his wife. "What else would you have me do, my lord? I cannot stay in this situation knowing that THAT THUG will be with you."

She stood and shouted, "Get angry then. Yell! Scream! Actually lose your force-forsaken military composure for a single force-forsaken minute. Anything! Killing yourself is not an option, do you hear me?"

His face softened. "I don't have the right to be angry about this, my lord. I betrayed you over Correllia. I have no one to blame but myself."

He strode over to her bedside table and picked up one of her twin lightsabers. Returning to her, he handed her the weapon and whispered, "You cannot allow such insubordination to stand on your ship. I disobeyed a direct order from the Wrath of the Empire and must therefore be punished just as any other person would be."

After a moment of silence and utter stillness, Quinn whispered, "My Lord, you would be doing me a favor. My life was over the day that I betrayed you. There is nothing left for me."

She took the weapon and he fell to his knees, his hands on his hips and his eyes closed. There was a snap-hiss as the weapon activated and a red glow permeated Lord Kessar's quarters. For Quinn, relief was in sight but Lord Kessar was in utter turmoil. Her emotions were a storm she couldn't control no matter what exercises she attempted. Love, resentment, anger and pain swirled within. She could kill him and her problems would go away, all but the one where she would be broken again and this time, beyond repair. She could let him live and thrash him again and solve absolutely nothing. She could forgive him and beg him to forgive her, whether he believed there is something to forgive or not.

Quinn heard the swish as the blade was raised. She had made her decision and he would be dead soon. All the pain would be gone. All she needed to do was bring the blade down. Suddenly, the humming stopped and the blade retracted. The sound of something hitting the ground in front of him caused him to open his eyes. Lord Kessar was kneeling before him, her hands over her red face. Her entire body rocked as she sobbed. Seeing her like this, Quinn finally lost his military bearing. He wrapped his arms around her, tears running down his own handsome face. As she cried, Quinn heard her whispering something, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

She never ceased to amaze him. This woman had slaughtered hundreds if not thousands. She had killed in duels, in battle and in cold blood and never even given him the idea that she was willing to or capable of apologizing for anything. "Please, Malavai, please forgive me."

"There is nothing to forgive, Gira. I should be begging you for forgiveness. I should have every time I was before you since Correllia."

"I wanted to hurt you, Malavai. That's why I did it. That's why I slept with Pierce. I am so, so sorry my love."

He held her, shushing her quietly as he ran a hand through her long black hair. He pushed her back and pulled her hands down off of her face. "Look at me, wife."

It had been so long since she heard him call her that. She looked up into his bright blue eyes. "I forgive you, Gira. I forgive you now and forever."

Tears welled up in her eyes and she wrapped her arms around him again. Quinn shifted so that he was sitting and he pulled her into his lap. For a long time, they simply held one another. As his eyes dried and her shuddering sobs subsided, Quinn readied himself to beg for the one thing he never had the courage to ask for. Gently, he set his wife down and moved to a kneeling position, placing his head on the floor. "I beg for your forgiveness, my lord. I know that my actions are worthy of nothing but the most painful death but if I do not gain your forgiveness, I must suffer a far worse punishment: a long and most painful life. I am not a strong enough man for that."

Lord Kessar looked at her beloved husband. He had never asked her for forgiveness, probably knowing that the result would have been anything from being mocked and rejected to being beaten in rage. Now, however, she was all too willing to forgive him. She placed a soft hand on his head and whispered, "Look at me, Malavai."

His head came up and his blue eyes looked pleading. Placing her hands in the hollows behind his jaws and ears, she pulled him into a kiss. This was the first kiss since before Correllia and, for Quinn at least, it was like the first kiss they had ever shared. After what felt like too short a time, she let him go. "I forgive you, Malavai - now and forever."

The relief Quinn felt was palpable. He moved again to a sitting position and Gira sat nestled in his lap again, his arms around her. Unable to help himself do partially to love he felt and partially do to his forced celibacy, Malavai kissed her ear, eliciting a smile from her. Encouraged, he brushed her hair aside and then did it again, nibbling a little as well. She giggled and said, "Stop. There are things we need to do."

"I thought we were on R and R, my Lord. What exactly do we have that needs done?"

He kissed below her ear and worked his way down to her slender neck near the line of her collar. She pushed away with a laugh and jumped up. "Well your were optimizing the ship in the cockpit."

He rose to his feet as well, a small smile on his face. "It's a long process which involves large amounts of time waiting on system diagnostics and downloads. I won't be required to do anything for quite some time."

He easily recognized the hunger in her eyes even as she teased him. "What were you planning on doing during that down time?"

Quinn shrugged, noting that she had been sauntering towards her bed while she had asked. "Getting executed, my lord."

Gira couldn't help herself. She shuddered at the thought of killing him. She recovered and smiled with a sultry smile. "I have a better idea of what we could do. It has been awhile, hasn't it, Hubby?"

At first it had embarrassed him but he had grown to love the pet name. With a smile he took a step toward her. She teasingly took a step back. Confused, Quinn cocked an eye brow. He took another step and so did she. Clasping his hands behind his back, Quinn assessed the situation. The quarters were close but, given the use of the force, she could evade him until she tired of the game. She had never used the force during their times of intimacy before, but that was no guarantee. "Hubby, are you just going to stare at me or are you going to come and get me?"

Her voice was a sultry purr as she ran her hands down her curves tantalizingly before bringing them back up the front of her flat, slightly muscular belly and her ample, unsupported breasts, causing them to bounce and jiggle a little as she released them. He hadn't noticed until then that she wasn't wearing any kind of garment over them beneath her black tank top. "I don't know, my lord. Half the fun is in the anticipation and another good bit of it is in the show." he said with a coy smile of his own. She widened her yellow eyes and said, "Is that so? Well I think the two are tied together. So…"

She slowly took the light robe from her shoulders and allowed it to drop. The skin tight tank top that hugged every single curve and protrusion of her upper body went next – slowly, tantalizingly, she pulled it up and over her head. That's when he moved. In the blink of an eye, Quinn had her wrapped in his arms. The shirt covered her face – and that was it. Surely she had sensed him coming. Whether she had or not, Quinn had her now and he held her arms trapped above and behind her head as he kissed her full lips. She struggled, trying to remove it but he wouldn't let her. She was his captive, blindfolded and her arms were secured. Quinn's low, teasing growl rumbled in her ear. "I have you now."

He lifted her and laid her on the bed, still trapped. With one hand he held her arms over his head. The other he slid from her neck, down her naked chest, tracing circles around each of her nipples and eliciting shutters of anticipation and pleasure. His hand continued down until it slid beneath the cotton pants she was wearing and the undergarment she wore beneath. "You're hands are cold!" she gasped and he slid over her folds. "Are they?" whispered Quinn teasingly as he continued, finding the spot he knew from past experience would give her the most pleasure. Lord Kessar gasped as his index finger stroked it lightly. She writhed slightly, trying to pull her arms free. He held her firm. Compounding on all that she was feeling, he chuckled and moved his lips and tongue down her chest, starting from her neck and collar bones and working his way down. His lips closed over each nipple, kissing, licking and nibbling on them gently yet firmly. Kessar gasped each time she felt his lips on her. As he went back and forth for no longer than a couple seconds apiece and worked with his other hand down below, she became desperate. "Malavai you have to let me up."

He chuckled again, "Why, my lord? You're not enjoying this?"

"Of kriffing course I'm enjoying this!" she moaned. "But I need you. I need YOU inside me. NOW!"

Quinn knew he had control. He knew this because he held arguably the most powerful woman in the galaxy down, her shirt trapping her face and arms while his other hand teased her beneath her pants and he used his mouth to pleasure her full breasts and stiffened nipples – and she was suffering all of it without resistance. Finally, he let her up. Quickly as possible, she ripped off her shirt and then her pants and undergarment before literally attacking her husband's uniform. She used the force to unfasten every button, buckle and clasp before removing them with desperate speed. Quinn let it happen, moving only where she moved him until they both stood naked, their bodies pressed together as they kissed. Gira Kessar was ravenous as she kissed his lips, his face, his neck and his chest while one hand held her to him around the waste and the other began to stroke his length below. He held out as long as he could before lifting his wife's legs around his waist and dropping her on the bed with an umph. He allowed himself to hover between her legs, continuing to kiss her while one of his hands tweaked her nipple gently, eliciting a surprised gasp. She grew tired of waiting. Grabbing his length, she pulled gently but firmly until he was right at her entrance. He waited right there until she groaned in near frustration. "Something wrong, my Lord?"

Quinn was smiling smugly, the insufferable bastard. "Captain Grade II Malavai Quinn, get in there and pound me or so help me…"

Quinn cut her off by doing exactly that, driving himself home and filling her completely. She inhaled sharply and held that breath until he pulled out slightly and drove home again. She exhaled with a cry, inhaled again and gasped out. Again and again he did this until she decided that perhaps it was her turn to have a little control. Locking his arms down, Kessar threw her hips sideways and rolled on top of Quinn. From there, she began to move up and down at a prodigious pace, moaning as she did. Quinn's hands grasped her hips and helped her along. They moaned and cried in unison as the pressure within intensified. Finally, after Quinn had reached up and caressed her breasts in that way which drove her crazy, Gira fell forward with a barely contained scream of pleasure. She buried her face in his chest. Quinn was still twitching inside her. His face looked both shocked and utterly content at the same time. He held his beloved wife close with satisfaction. When they were both finished twitching, she removed herself from on top of him and pulled the blankets over them both. They both lay there, breathing heavily. Finally, Gira snuggled close to him, happier than she had been in months. "I love you, Hubby." She whispered tenderly. He kissed her on her dark red brow and replied softly, "I love you, beloved wife."

Pierce flicked his nicotine stick filter away and turned, heading back up the ramp. He was slightly disgruntled now. It didn't feel great to have been dragged in the middle of a marital problem between a Sith Lord and a Captain no matter how great the sex was or how much he despised the captain. With an unsatisfied sigh, he strode up the ramp. Suddenly, his head smashed against the side of the bulkhead and he saw stars. Spinning around and flailing on instinct, he tried to connect with whoever attacked him but he missed. A fist smashed into his jaw and another hit the soft spot beneath his breast bone, driving the air completely from his lungs. Last of all, a foot slammed into the side of his head. He lay there, flat out on his back, barely conscious. A booted foot landed on his chest and his vision cleared enough to see the glowering face of Captain Malavai Quinn. "Hello Lieutenant. I feel the need to explain something to you so bear with me."

Quinn leaned down and looked the lieutenant in the eyes. "You will not sleep with my wife. If I ever find out that this happens again, you will be dead before you can finish your post-sex nicotine stick. Am. I. Clear?"

Pierce couldn't do anything. His ears were still ringing, he was seeing the captain through stars and mist and he still couldn't breathe. Straightening up, Quinn stepped off and turned as if to walk away before rounding and kicking the larger main squarely in the groin. Pierces eyes went wide and crossed and he rolled over and vomited with the pain. Quinn walked away with a smug swagger – back to his wife's quarters. Inside, she was dressed in a simple set of Sith robes and pulling her hair back into a pony tail. "Everything alright, Malavai?" She asked. Quinn allowed himself a self-satisfied smile as he answered, "Just clearing something up with the Lieutenant."

"Uh-huh." She said. "Is he alive and fit to fight if the need were to arise?"  
Quinn laughed. He actually laughed at that. He walked over and kissed his wife on the cheek. "Yes, my love. He will make a complete recovery."

 **Updated May 22, 2016**


	3. Chapter 3: Retribution

The ordered R and R came to an end for the crew of Lord Gira Kessar's Fury-Class Interceptor but, as nothing important came up, they remained in Kaas City enjoying more time off. Malavai Quinn was enjoying the best days of his life. He and his wife hadn't ever been closer. He smiled to himself as he finished a last few calibrations of the lab stations tools in the med bay. Life was very good. "Hey Cap. I don't think I've see so much positive emotion from you – ever."

The young twi'lek woman Vette stood leaning in the doorway, smiling and cocking an eyebrow. "Hello, Vette. Did you gave a good time last night; avoid the local acolytes and such?"

Vette giggled. "Yeah I did. I had to flash a lot of skin just to get any of the guys to dance with me. I saw the same acolyte too, smiled and waved. Boy, did he squirm."

Quinn frowned and was about to lecture her on antagonizing powerful enemies when a husky chuckle came from behind the twi'lek. "Oh Vette. As this acolyte gains power, he will become more confident and if his master protects him, it will only get worse. The more you remind him, the more likely he will come after you again."

Vette grinned. "Maybe you should come with next time – both of you. I'll bet that the acolyte would love to meet you, Gira."

Quinn still frowned slightly at the familiarity with which Vette referred to his wife but he was getting used to it. Gira stepped fully into view of her husband. She wasn't in her armored combat suit or the regular black Sith robes. She wore what she normally wore around the ship – a plain tank top and bra (unless Pierce was out) and a pair of cotton pants and undergarments (unless Pierce was out). Gira put her hands on the back of her hips, thrusting her chest forward, and winked at him before saying. "You know what, I think you're right. Do you have any more civilian outfits, Quinn?"

Malavai sighed and said, "Unfortunately not, my Lord. I only have various uniforms. I'm sure I can find something suitable there."

Gira sighed dramatically and sauntered up to him, pressing the length of her body against the length of his and saying, "My love, I'm sorry but you need more than just various military uniforms. Tonight, Vette and I are taking you shopping."

Malavai wrapped his arms around his curvaceous wife and resigned himself to the fact with some grace. "I don't suppose objections will get me anywhere so I can submit myself to a night of shopping with the two most important women in my life."

Vette's hands clasped to her heart dramatically and she said, "I… I'm one of the two most important woman in your life? What about Jaesa?"

Malavai snorted, rubbing his throat just thinking about the homicidal, sex crazed Sith apprentice who still hated him for what happened months ago over the planet Correllia, even though Gira herself had forgiven and reconciled with him. "Where is Jaesa, anyway? She should have been back on board the days ago?" He asked mildly, gazing intently into the yellow eyes of his Sith-pureblood wife. Suddenly, Gira's eyes went stormy. "I don't know, but when she gets back, her training is going to become intense and violent."

Suddenly, Gira pulled Malavai into a passionate kiss, lightly biting his lower lip and thrusting her tongue as deep as she could. "Woah! Could have given me a warning, guys. Just tell me when you're ready to go shopping."

Gira's lips separated from her husbands and, still gazing intently into Malavai's intense blue eyes as she said, "Oh, we're leaving within an hour, Vette. I just want my husband to be thinking about me and… what we are going to do later; I want to give him a taste."

Malavai's face broke into a grin and he whispered huskily, "It tastes so good, my love." Gira's yellow eyes blazed, having to fight her own burning desire as her husband's hands moved forward and up, tantalizingly slow. "Oh blast! I'm leaving! Meet you both at the boarding ramp." Said Vette. Gira waited just until Malavai's hands cupped her ample breasts and then grasped his wrists, pushed them down and kissed him again before saying, "No, no, my love. Later."

She stepped back and headed out of the medical bay, her hips swinging seductively. Malavai shook his head, allowing his arousal to slowly drain away as he went to the crew quarters and put on a clean uniform, freshly pressed. He strapped on a blaster and sheathed a vibro-blade in his boot. He shaved his face and trimmed his hair neatly. To Malavai, going out with his wife in public in the capital city of the capital world of the Sith Empire warranted looking his absolute best. It took the better part of an hour for him to be satisfied. Finally, he strode over to the boarding ramp where he found his wife dressed in a form-fitting black outfit that was modest enough to not draw unwarranted attention from passersby but also just revealing enough for Malavai to desperately want to pick her up haul her back to her quarters and ravish her. Vette ware a simple white dress. "Wow! Looking good, Cap. Well… as good as any Imperial stiff can look in one of those uniforms."

Quinn shook his head ruefully. Gira's eyes flashed with desire and she offered her husband an arm. Side by side, they strode down the boarding ramp and towards the main strip of Kaas City.

They spent the next several hours shopping for clothes, picking up high end and gourmet field rations, purchasing weapons upgrades and acquiring anything that caught their fancy. The wealth acquired after killing Darth Baras was substantial. By the time dinner time rolled around, Vette and Quinn were each pushing a hover cart back to the ship and unloaded them before Quinn and Gira left towards the cantina. "Do you mind keeping an eye on the ship for tonight, Vette? Jaesa is still missing and Broonmark is out hunting. Pierce has been and will be staying at a local boarding house until recalled to the ship. I hate to ask, but…"

Vette smiled. "Don't sweat it, Gira. I'll keep an eye on everything. You and the Cap have a good night, just give me a call before you get back so I can emotionally prepare myself for the sounds I'll hear tonight."

Laughing, Gira wrapped an arm around Malavai's waste and they headed back towards the cantina.

Pierce sat in the cantina sipping on some very strong liquor, growing more and more disgruntled with his situation. He was on a ship serving under one of the most powerful Sith Lords and fighting in some of the most glorious battles in the war. He was getting commendations and recognition and even had a promotion due soon. Any other soldier would be happy as hell. Pierce was miserable. He was a big man, strong and not horrible looking with a mass of scars over his muscular frame. Since going on leave, he had managed to not go to bed alone a single night but he didn't care about that. He wanted to be back aboard his Lord's ship and back in her good graces. He wanted things to be the way they were in the months after Correllia where Pierce and Lord Kessar were getting close. He wanted to be in her bed again. Snarling, he downed his drink. "One more."

The blue skinned Chiss behind the counter looked disapproving but he filled another. Suddenly, a group of young adults entered the bar and began to drink loudly. Pierce recognized several of them as off-duty soldiers or space marines and one or two as Sith Acolytes. Rather humorously, he wondered if any of them were those who had beaten Quinn half to chaos. He chuckled at the thought. Pierce turned back to his liquor and downed it. He was about to pay when a familiar peel of laughter sounded from the entrance. Turning drunkenly, he almost fell from his seat. In through the doors came Lord Kessar and Captain Quinn, looking happier than they ever had been before. Quinn was smiling and even laughing. Pierce scowled and demanded another drink.

Gira and Malavai sat at a small circular table, laughing and chatting about little things of no import and generally just enjoying one another's company. Suddenly, Malavai's face gained a curious expression. "Malavai? Is something the matter?"

His handsome face returned to a smile and he said, "It's nothing, my love. It's so good to be able to spend time together not in the middle of a battle field."

Gira looked in the direction that Malavai had and noticed eight young men and a woman around a large table. Seven of them were bigger and rough looking, off-duty soldiers or space marines but the other two were undoubtedly Sith Acolytes . Gira turned back to him and her eyes were cold. "You tell me the truth, Malavai. Which of those acolytes nearly killed you?"

Malavai sighed. "My love, please…"

"Malavai I'm not just doing it to avenge my husband's beating. Those men assaulted the crew of the Wrath of the Empire. I consider my crew friends rather than servants and even other Sith need to know that they will not go unpunished for such things."

She reached across and placed a hand over Malavai's. With a resigned sigh, Malavai said, "The human acolyte with the blonde hair, green eyes and the scars across the left side of the face. I don't recognize the soldiers or space marines. I don't think they attacked me. The other acolyte – the female – she's new."

Gira looked at them for a long moment before turning back to her husband. "Do you trust me, Malavai Quinn?"

Immediately, Quinn was on his guard. "Of course I trust you. Why, my love?"

Gira stood up, came around the table and kissed her husband tenderly. "Nothing I am about to do means anything, hubby."

She turned towards the group of soldiers and acolytes and sauntered over, her hips swinging seductively. With a sultry smiled, Gira tapped the male acolyte's shoulder. He turned slowly and his eyes widened at the sight of her. "Hello there, Acolyte. My, my you must be talented and powerful to be an apprentice to one of the dark council. What's your name, handsome?"

The acolyte smiled slyly and said, "Well, well. My name is Raggus. What is a beautiful thing like you doing alone in a place like this? Are you with anyone tonight?"

Gira traced her hand down the acolyte's shoulder and chest as she cooed, "Oh I'm here with a friend. I heard some exciting stuff happened here a couple weeks ago. Do you know anything about that, Raggus?"

The acolyte scowled and took another drink at his ale. "Yeah. A couple of slaves got uppity with me and my friends. If it wasn't for the fact that they served the Wrath of the Empire and if Darth Nox hadn't intervened, I would have slaughtered them both."

Gira widened her eyes in interest. "What happened after that?"

The acolyte smiled wickedly. "My friends and I found one of them later, an Imperial captain. He put up quite a fight too but no mere Imperial can stand up to a Sith. I beat him within an inch of his life and tortured him with force lightning. The fool is probably still limping around jumping at his own shadow."

Gira was fuming on the inside. On the outside, she said, "I'm sure he is. You must be a powerful Sith indeed. Do you want to get out of here, go somewhere more private?"

The acolyte's jaw dropped for several moments before his face turned to a drunken grin. "That sounds like fun. Let's go, beautiful."

She turned away and as she did, the acolyte fondled her ass. It was all she could do to resist literally ripping him apart. Instead, she playfully swatted at his hand, giggling. They headed to the door and Gira allowed the acolyte to leave ahead of her. Before she exited, she cocked an eyebrow at her husband and gave him a very sly grin.

Malavai knew that look. It was the same look she gave him when the crew was around and she wanted him to meet her in her quarters without making it terribly obvious. Malavai stood and straightened his uniform, smoothing out every single non-existent wrinkle before heading out the door. He had a pretty good idea he knew where his wife was going. Slowly, purposefully, he followed her, a small smile on his face, heading towards where he had brawled with the acolyte and soldiers two weeks ago.

Gira was going to enjoy this almost as much as her husband was. She had allowed the acolyte to pin her against the wall and was even enduring him kissing her. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Quinn sauntering over. Smiling, she separated from the acolyte and said in a silky whisper. "You know something, Raggus I think you made a mistake two weeks ago."

The acolyte looked down at her, cocking a dark eye brow. "What do you mean?"

She pulled away and half circled so that Quinn would approach from behind the acolyte. "You see, that captain is the husband of Gira Kessar, Wrath of the Empire and that twi'lek is her closest friend. You tried to assault one and succeeded in assaulting another. Don't you think she might be angry?"

The acolyte stood tall and looked haughtily at her. "What do I care? My master is a member of the Dark Council and has been for years, since long before Lord Kessar even rose to power. As powerful as she is, I highly doubt that she will have the courage to come after me, knowing that she will have to deal with my master as well."

Gira felt herself going from hot with anger to stone cold with barely controlled fury. She forced a smile as Malavai winked at her from less than a meter behind the acolyte. "You seem to think very little of the Wrath of the Empire. I think perhaps your position as an apprentice to such a powerful person makes you over confident. What do you think, husband?"

"Right you are, my Lord. This young man is clearly in desperate need of having his ego deflated."

The acolyte whirled around and glared at Quinn. "You! I thought you would have learned your lesson, Captain. I think that perhaps a few lightsaber cuts will let it set in more firmly."

He reached for his blade but the hilt leapt from his belt and landed in Gira Kessar's hand. She weighed it in her hands before lowering it to her side and glaring at the acolyte. "My name, if your brain is too muddled to have figured it out yet, is Gira Kessar. My husband and friend were victims of you and your sadistic power trip."

The acolyte didn't show fear or nerves. He stood tall, his chin up haughtily but he didn't say anything. Gira shook her head in disgust. "The truth is, without the force, you would be a child cowering before the Sith. Now you think that your apprenticeship makes you powerful. You aren't powerful. You are weak. You use the force as a crutch. So I am going to take that crutch away from you."

The acolytes expression didn't change at all. His eyes, however, showed that he was quite apprehensive. Gira smiled maliciously. "This is how this is going to happen: You are going to fight my husband – no weapons, no use of the force, just your hands, your feet and your skill with them. If you even try to call on the dark side, I will snap one of your larger bones. Do you understand me, acolyte?"

The acolyte sneered in affirmative and turned to face Quinn. The captain had one of the biggest smiles she had ever seen and it immediately stirred her, causing squirming in her stomach and heat in her core. Later, she vowed, she would make sure that smile was even bigger. Quinn never even moved his hands from behind his back until the acolyte threw the first kick. It was a fancy, flourishing kick suited well to combat between force warriors. The force made the technique effective, adding power and speed. Without it, Quinn saw it coming from kilometers away. He ducked, stepped in and smashed the acolyte with two jabs and a hefty right hook followed with a thrusting kick to the chest, sending the acolyte into the mud. The acolyte jumped back up and Quinn just stood there, his hands behind his back at a rigid, Malavai Quinn parade rest. The acolyte came in more cautiously this time, his hands up and he began to circle Quinn. Finally, with a long suffering sigh, Quinn brought his hands up and he circled with the acolyte. The acolyte moved in, leading with jabs and a quick uppercut. Quinn deflected the blows. He didn't block them, meeting the acolytes strength with his own. He simply redirected the blows before following up with his own attacks. The acolyte blocked the attacks, causing bruises on his arms and using measures of his strength. The dance went on the same way for several long minutes. The acolyte would send in flurries of flourishing martial attacks and Quinn would simply redirect the attacks. Quinn would send in far more direct and practical blows. Those that didn't land were blocked, causing more bruises to the acolyte's extremities and causing the use of more energy. Before long, the acolyte's breathing was labored and he could barely lift his arms. Finally, with a derisive snort, Quinn caught the acolyte in a lock and kneed him hard in the forehead. The young Sith dropped to his knees, dazed and with blood running down his face. "I think we're finished here, my Lord. Wouldn't you agree?"

Gira's eyes were bright with absolute want for her husband. She dropped the acolyte's lightsaber in the dirt and said, "Oh yes, my love. We are done here. When we get back to the ship, I want it completely cleared. You and I will be spend the night alone."

Suddenly, Gira felt a surge in the dark side. With the simple exertion of power, Gira snapped the acolytes right rib cage and the young man screamed in pain. "I warned you."

Pierce had to admit that he was thoroughly impressed by the display of skill by Captain Quinn. The captain knew that raw strength wasn't his – well – strength. He used tactics. He used the opponents energy against them. Quinn waited for the best opportunity and for his opponent to open up and then destroyed him. Pierce rubbed his head, remembering his own run in with the angry captain. Chuckling and rubbing his head, he made his way back into the bar to grab a bite and, hopefully, find a companion for the night. He would get Quinn for that beating and, hopefully show Lord Kessar that he, Pierce, was more worthy to be her husband.

 **Updated May 23, 2016**


	4. Chapter 4: Reassigned

Lord Gira Kessar sighed contentedly in her husband's strong arms and snuggled herself deeper into his embrace. True to her plans, they had emptied the ship of her companions and the two of them were all alone. For hours, they had enjoyed their intercourse, bringing one another to satisfaction again and again. Now they were both utterly exhausted and totally content. "Considering the fact that you are such a stuffy, stereotypical Imperial officer on duty, you can be very, VERY impressive in private, Hubby." Cooed Gira sleepily. Malavai Quinn chuckled sleepily in return and kissed his wife tenderly. "For being such a powerful and commanding Sith Lord, you are quite amiable to being a submissive partner, my love."

Gira giggled and said, "Well I can't be a commanding, demanding schutta all the time, now can I?" Quinn nodded, "You could. But I'm glad that you're not, wife."

Slowly they drifted off to sleep, lolled by the comfort of one another's touch.

Jaesa Willsaam stared at the Fury-Class Interceptor of her master, anxiety overwhelming her thoughts. She had disobeyed her master to stay close and had taken days longer than she should have considering the leave Lord Kessar had mandated was only meant to be two weeks long. Not only that, but she had gone to meet, not kill but meet, one of the most powerful Jedi Masters in the galaxy and, during the meeting, her lightsaber had been destroyed by his padawan. Her disobedience and failure were going to cost her dearly. Steeling herself, Jaesa threw her shoulders back and strode forward and up the ramp of the ship.

Gira awoke with a start. A little over two hours had gone by. The Sith Lord narrowed her eyes and gently extricated herself from her husband's arms. "Is everything alright, my love?" He asked sleepily. Gira strode over to her closet and garbed herself in a black Sith tunic and robe as she answered coldly. "Jaesa's returned."

Malavai didn't reply. He quickly stood and clothed himself. He was silently grateful his wife had been patient enough to allow him to hang the uniform to avoid wrinkling it. When she had clothed herself and put her boots on, Gira turned to her husband, a very serious look on her face. "Malavai, I think you should go to the cockpit. Run diagnostics on the defensive and offensive components and weapons, please."

Malavai nodded and took a moment to plant a quick kiss on his wife's forehead and was satisfied to see a small smile on her face. The door to her quarters opened and Jaesa stood there about to knock. For several seconds, she and Quinn simply stared at one another. A look of anger and contempt crossed Jaesa's face but it was quickly suppressed as Lord Kessar gazed at her coldly. "The conference room, now, Jaesa."

Quinn felt a pang of sympathy for the young woman for just a moment as he watched the two retreating figures. It passed quickly as her remember that Jaesa had always despised him and wanted more than anything to kill him. With a small shrug, he turned back towards the cockpit.

As soon as the doors hissed shut behind them, Gira turned to her apprentice. "Talk. Now. You had better make this good."

Jaesa took a breath and launched into an account of her trip. She told how she had gone to Alderaan to meet an old friend from her Jedi days. Jaesa spoke of how her old friend had resisted her wiles and how she had tried to kill him. She finished with how his padawan had destroyed her lightsaber and forced her to flee. Gira's yellow eyes blazed and she uncrossed her arms, her hands forming angry claws. "So, just so that I understand this correctly, you disobeyed my command to go and try to spend a couple nights with a Jedi from your past **and** you allowed his apprentice to destroy your lightsaber and send you back to me several days after leave officially ended. Is that accurate?"

Jaesa knew that pain was coming but she dutifully nodded. "That is so, my Lord."

Gira stretched out and force gripped her apprentice's throat. "I have some questions for you, Jaesa Willsaam. You will answer them truthfully or you will die painfully. Who was this Jedi?"

Gira gave Jaesa just enough breathing room to speak. The young woman croaked out, "His name is... Nedeser Thul. We were friends way back on Dantooine."

Gira's eyes hardened and she tightened her hold. "You went to the Barsen'thor of the Jedi Order, one of the two Jedi that the Dark Council are truly weary of and tried to sleep with him? What the kriffing hell did you expect to happen?"

Jaesa's eyes had tears leaking from the corners. She couldn't reply so Gira let her fall to the floor. "I have been so lonely. When I heard he had gone to Alderaan, I couldn't help it. I had to see him. It was a moment of weakness, Master."

"No! A moment of weakness is considering doing such a stupid thing. You have allowed yourself to be immersed in weakness, Jaesa - weakness and foolishness. What happened to your lightsaber? Tell me precisely what happened."

"I grew angry and tried to attack the Barsen'thor. Out of nowhere, his padawan blasted me with telekinesis and somehow used the force to destroy my lightsaber. I had to flee because if I hadn't I would have been captured or killed."

Gira could sense the distress Jaesa was in – not just the fear of her master but also the heartbrokenness from being rejected by someone. Gira refused to soften. She strode forward and knelt down. "What did you learn from this, apprentice?"

Jaesa looked up, tears running down her face, "I learned obedience, master. I learned that time changes everything and everyone, even old friends. I learned that once you commit to a new way of life, those who you were close to, who once called you friend may turn on you. I learned that there is no going back once you step into the darkness and that those who do not take the step with you cannot or will not follow."

Gira nodded, satisfied. She stood and offered Jaesa a hand. "I hope that the lesson sticks because, if you do this again, I will jettison you in a pod in orbit over Tython and leave you for the Jedi. Now go into Kaas City and buy the components you need to build a new lightsaber. When you have them, return to the ship. You will be confined to your quarters for the remainder of the time here and you will accept no visitors for any reason, am I clear, Jaesa?"

Jaesa would hate every minute of it but she replied, "Yes, my Master."

Gira waved her hand in dismissal and watched the younger woman go. When the door shut behind Jaesa, Gira smiled. She had been a little worried about her apprentice and whether the girl would be able to fully give into her new life, even after Jaesa had begun to hunt down and assassinated Sith who were beginning to lean towards the light side of the force. Now, however, Gira had no doubt that Jaesa would never return to the light herself. Her broken heart and feelings of betrayal would see to that.

Malavai Quinn finished optimizing the weapons systems, a small job since it had already been done less than a week ago. Suddenly, the door behind him opened. He turned and looked straight into the yellow eyes of Jaesa Willsaam. He didn't speak so she cleared her throat and said, "It would seem that you and the master have reconciled. I am glad to hear that."

Quinn nodded guardedly. "Yes we have. Thank you, Apprentice Willsaam. I am glad to see that you are none the worse for wear after your heart to heart with Lord Kessar."

Jaesa nodded before stepping in close and whispering, "Hold tight to her, Quinn. If you lose her love again, you will never regain it and if you ever hurt her again, I will kill you despite any command she may give."

Quinn smiled and nodded. "If I hurt her again, I would beg you to kill me, Jaesa."

Jaesa nodded and left the cockpit.

Lieutenant Pierce returned to the ship and, to his surprise, it felt like he was returning home. With a contented sigh, he went into the crew quarters flung his duffel on his bunk before plopping his rather large frame down, using the bag as a pillow. It was good to be back on board. He settled in for a nap when he heard Lord Kessar walk by. She looked a little miffed at something or another. Pierce hoped fervently that it was Quinn again but doubted it. Slowly, he sank into sleep, dreaming of beating Quinn to a bloody mess and taking Lord Kessar back to her quarters and showing her how a real man made love.

Gira strode into the cockpit and sat down in one of the seats, gazing lovingly at her husband. Quinn smiled and turned his datapad off to give his wife his full attention. With a sigh, she leaned forward and took his hand. "I honestly wish this war was over and we could just go on living like this, Malavai. I wish we could live on an estate and raise a family. I could train them if they are force sensitive and if not, they can go to the academy when they come of age like their father."

Malavai smiled tenderly. "I wish that as well, my love. It seems the galaxy and the force have conspired against us by having us born and raised in these times. But you are a Sith Lord, my love. Would you be the person you are if it were not for this war?"

Gira shook her head. "Probably not, hubby. Even so..." She was interrupted by her comlink. She looked at it with an annoyed expression on her face and was surprised to see whom she was being contacted by - Darth Nox, a member of the Dark Council and Sith Assassin of terrifying reputation. Shooting Quinn an apologetic glance, she stood and left the cockpit, answering as she did. "This is the Wrath of the Empire, go ahead, Darth Nox."

A chuckled came from the other end. "My, my Gira. I hear you let your husband beat the poodoo out of one of the councils' acolytes earlier tonight. That's a dangerous move."

Gira snorted. "Like any single member of the council could give me a reason to fear. What can I do for you, my friend?"

"I need you and your apprentice to meet me and mine in the cantina. I have a back room reserved where we can discuss something rather urgent. Can you be here in an hour or so?"

"Yes we can be there. I'll see you soon, Lord Nox."

She cut the connection and commed Jaesa, informing her of the situation. Gira also returned to the cockpit and told Malavai. "I need to meet with Darth Nox. There is apparently something very important I need to be informed on. I'll be back later, Hubby. Be ready for my return."

With a sultry smile and a searing kiss, she turned and left, her hips swinging the way they always did when she walked away from her husband, driving him absolutely crazy with want for her.

Jaesa had the components she needed and also the materials she would need to forge a set of crystals as well. Placing them all in a pocket of her cloak, she headed towards the cantina to meet her master. It was getting rather late and the cantina was probably going to close within an hour or so but that didn't matter. The Chiss bartender would keep it open as long as required when it came to members of the Dark Council. She strode in and saw Darth Nox and her two apprentices at the bar. Not wanting to approach the Dark Lord without her master, Jaesa tried to slip off into the corner but Darth Nox saw her first. The human Sith woman smiled beautifully and beckoned her. Knowing that to deny a Dark Lord would be the height of stupidity – right up there with blatantly disobeying her master, Jaesa smiled back and approached. The Darth stood and returned Jaesa's respectful bow. "I've heard quite a bit about you, Jaesa Willsaam. Your special talent and special mission have made you known and feared throughout the Empire even as a lowly apprentice. Your master must be very proud and so must you."

Jaesa found that she liked this powerful woman. In a few ways, she reminder Jaesa of her own master, Lord Kessar. Smiling, Jaesa tried to appear somewhat humble as she replied, "I am proud of my work but I am fully aware that, were it not for the guidance of my master, I would not be able to be so successful. Everything I do, I do for her and for the Empire."

One of the apprentices sneered, "Well spoken, like a true apprentice. I think perhaps you still have a little too much Jedi in you, Jaesa."

She was a female togruta and Jaesa recognized her as Ashara Zavros. She herself had been a Jedi so Jaesa didn't know why Ashara thought herself so high and mighty. "Who are you to talk, Zavros? You were a Jedi once too. What have you done worthy of note?"

The togruta scowled and put her hand to her lightsabers, snarling, "For one who is unarmed, you sure have a lot to say, Willsaam?"

"Enough, please ladies. We are all on the same side here," said Darth Nox. Gira Kessar came through the door a moment later and made straight for them. "Darth Nox, a pleasure to see you and your apprentices again. I see you have been chatting with my apprentice. I trust she was amiable."

Darth Nox nodded with a smile, her brown curls bouncing. "She was indeed. Come, let's go back to the private room. The Dark Council has a proposed assignment for you and I, one that I think you will find very much to your liking, Lord Kessar."

Back in the private room, there were decanters of very expensive alcohol and small appetizers for them to nibble on, all courtesy of the house. After they had taken a few sips and eaten a few morsels, Darth Nox put her glass down and looked at Gira seriously. "The Dark Council are growing rather nervous about the tides of war. It would seem that much of our progress, on Balmora, on Quesh, on Alderaan and so on, has been undone do to the actions and attentions of two Jedi. I'm sure you've heard their names, Lord Kessar. The first is Alias Ordo, also called the Hero of Tython for his rather unexpected defeat of that moron Darth Angral. The second is Nedeser Thul, named the Barsen'thor of the Jedi Order."

Jaesa shifted uncomfortably and sipped from her glass. Gira nodded. "What would the Dark Council have us do with these Jedi?"

Darth Nox's beautiful face formed a truly terrifying smile. "They have given us the mission of hunting them down and killing them. Will you assist me, Wrath of the Empire?"

Gira Kessar smiled her own evil smile. "It would be my pleasure, my friend. Do you have a plan on how we will find them and achieve this?"

Darth Nox nodded as she took another sip. "Yes I do, in fact. Pay close attention because I think you are going to like this."

Malavai Quinn headed into the comms room to inspect some of the equipment when he heard a low chuckle from one of the couches. Pierce sat there in a pair of shorts and a sleeveless athletic shirt, bearing his scarred and tattooed arms. "Well hello, Captian. It's good to be back on board her lordship's ship. How have you been, sir?"

The way he said 'sir' was a derisive snarl, devoid of anything but utter contempt. Quinn didn't rise to the bait. He had already won against Pierce. Lord Kessar was his wife and they were reconciled and Pierce was just a member of the crew, like Vette or Broonmark. With a small smile, Quinn answered, "I have been doing well, Lieutenant. In fact, I can confidently say that the past two weeks have been the very best of my life. How have you been? I couldn't help but notice your absence ever since our last little chat."

Pierce did not like the tables being turned on him, especially when it came to Captain Quinn. He stood, a friendly smile plastered on his face. "Oh I have been thoroughly enjoying my leave, Captain. I had no idea Kaas City had so much to offer – booze, food, women. I must say though, I haven't had a really decent lay yet, at least not as good as Lord Kessar. Now she knows how to set a man's blood to boil."

Quinn was chuckling even as he was seething on the inside. These verbal fencing matches were actually quite enjoyable even if he did tend to get as angry as a prodded bantha because of them. "That she does, Lieutenant. That she does. It is so good to be back in my Lord's good graces. Never realize exactly how much you missed something until it has been absent for a while and you start receiving it again. But you'll never fully understand that, Lieutenant."

Pierce was getting angrier with every passing moment. Dropping all pretenses of pleasantry, he crossed his muscular arms and scowled, "Someday, Quinn, I am going to show Lord Kessar exactly how useless and weak you really are compared to me. Sith respect power, strength and intelligence. You are one for three. I am the whole package. I only need an opportunity to show that."

Quinn burst out laughing. He had never felt less respect for Pierce than he did at that moment. "Lieutenant you fail to realize that Gira Kessar is not your stereotypical Sith Lord. She is unique, truly and utterly one of a kind. She recognizes that strength and power do not necessarily go hand in hand. You see, your strength is in your armor, your weapons and in your body. My strength is in my mind and my own set of skills – the depth of which you know very little about, I'm afraid. That is what gives me power. Your ignorance is the reason you could beat me within an inch of my life and Lord Kessar would still stay with me."

Lieutenant Pierce finally lost his already quick temper. With a roar, he charged, his fists upraised. Quinn brought his own hands up and was able to nimbly dodge the first few blows before he used the momentum of his opponent to slam him head first into the holocom station. Pierce's head left a dent in the side of the projector and blood streamed from a cut on his forehead. Before he got the chance to recover, Quinn slammed his knees into Pierce's left ribs, trying to do as much damage as he could before the much larger man could recover. Pierce grabbed hold of him by the lapel of his dress uniform and elbowed him square in the nose, breaking it with a bloody crunch. Quinn winced. It wasn't the first time his nose had been broken and it probably wouldn't be the last but stang! It still hurt. Thinking fast, Quinn brought one of his knees up, attempting to hit his opponent in the groin. Pierce released him and dropped his hands, blocking Quinn's attack but leaving his face wide open for a smashing elbow to the eye. They separated, glaring at each other and breathing hard. Quinn's nose streamed blood over his formerly clean and now ripped uniform. Pierce had a nasty gash over his left eye and his right one was already swelling shut, not to mention several cracked ribs. If Pierce had had a clear head, he would have made a tactical retreat. However, his ire was up and his pride was hurt. With their hands up in combat stances, they circled one another. Pierce moved in, using jabs and straight forward kicks to keep his opponents on his toes. Quinn was the faster of the two, usually avoiding the attacks without even making contact. Pierce tried to attack with a heavy round-house punch and Quinn ducked it, taking the opportunity to punch his opponent in the arm pit. The limb went numb from the blow and Pierce stood, one hand limp at his side, the other cradled slightly against his injured ribs. Quinn gasped out, "Have you had enough, Pierce? We can both keep going for quite a while, I think."

A cool voice came from the entrance to the room. "Oh there will be no need for that, gentlemen. I think the two of you have had quite enough fun while I was away."

Lord Kessar stood with her arms crossed over her chest, glaring coldly at both of them. Quinn snapped to parade rest and said, "My Lord. I trust that your meeting with Darth Nox went well. I must say that I didn't expect you back so soon, however."

"Clearly." She said coolly, though Quinn recognized a tiny little gleam of laughter in her yellow eyes. Then she turned to Pierce. "Tell me what happened, Lieutenant."

Pierce stiffened. He knew that it was useless to try and lie to Lord Kessar and he also knew that being honest would lead to quite a nasty punishment. Even so, it would be worse if he lied. "I was having a conversation with the Captain and things escalated into a fight, I'm afraid my Lord."

Gira's eyes narrowed. She turned to Quinn. "Care you expound on that, Captain?"

Quinn had to struggle not to chuckled at the entire situation. He kept his composure and answered, "My Lord, it is as the Lieutenant said. We got into an argument about differing opinions on strength and power and things escalated from there. I'm not proud of it my lord. I honestly feel rather foolish."

"Oh yes, you look so very contrite. 2V, come help the lieutenant to the med bay. He seems to have a numbed arm, several cracked ribs, a nasty cut over one eye and the other eye swollen shut."

Malavai couldn't help it. Remembering the humiliation of Pierce trying to help him two weeks earlier after a nasty beating, he stepped forward and said with superbly controlled glee, "I'm sure I can help the Lieutenant, my Lord."

Gira turned away, biting her tongue to avoid laughing before saying, "2V will handle it. I'll take care of you, Captain."

Quinn was nervous suddenly. Gira wasn't a medic. Her few attempts to do battlefield medicine on him may have saved his life but it was by no means clean and never looked good. It was also usually extremely painful. The woman could be so tender but somehow, that never translated into her rather lackluster healing abilities. The Sith Lord grabbed Quinn's belt and began to gently drag him away. "Come along, Captain. If we don't get it fixed, you're pretty face will be stuck that way."

A snicker came from Pierce. Quinn chuckled himself and allowed himself to be led away. Gira took him to her quarters and pushed him down into a chair. Pulling out an extensive med kit, she walked up to him and sat on his lap, straddling his hips. "Now which one of these should I use?"

Quinn looked at five different kolto syringes of different sizes. She went for the largest one, a gleam in her eye that was borderline sadistic. "This one?"

Quinn calmly shook his head. "The smallest one, love. One that size is for things like massive amounts of internal damage." Gira pouted. "You're no fun, hubby. Okay the smallest it is."

She took the smallest syringe and Quinn said, "Wait a moment, Gira." Taking his nose in his hands, he took a couple deep breaths before putting pressure on it. With a loud pop, his nose went back into place. Quinn groaned and gritted his teeth as the pain dissipated. "Okay now inject the kolto right here – under the cartilage of the bridge of the nose."

Gira carefully position the syringe and said, "On three, love." "No, not on three. Just do it, please."

Gira stuck the syringe in and depressed the plunger as quickly as the thick kolto gel allowed. Quinn's face was screwed up and he whimpered ever so slightly. When the kolto finally began to numb the pain away, Quinn relaxed. Gira leaned forward and kissed her husband's forehead. She stood and pulled him to his feet. "Come on, love. We need to get you cleaned."

With a sultry smile, she pulled the captain towards her personal refresher. "It's been some time since we showered together, hasn't it, wife?"

Gira pulled her husband into a searing kiss before beginning to remove his uniform. Quinn waited impatiently as she removed his uniform before he methodically attacked her Sith robes, kissing her ravenously the whole time.

 **Updated May 23, 2016**


	5. Chapter 5: Recruiting

**Mature content ahead. Sections that contain mature content will be labeled at the beginning and end.**

For the first time in almost a month, the Fury-Class Interceptor of the Dark Lord of the Sith and Wrath of the Empire Gira Kessar was leaving Dromund Kaas on a mission for the Dark Council. At the helm, Captain Malavai Quinn watched as everything darkened to stars. The past month had been first the most miserable and then the happiest in his entire life. With a small smile on his lips, he angled the ship towards Nal Hutta where all the mercenaries, bounty hunters and assassins went when looking for work. Any that could not be reached immediately would be reached through contacts. The door to the cockpit hissed open and Malavai Quinn could smell the perfume his wife wore to cover her slightly sulfuric natural smell. Quinn finished punching in the coordinates and eased the hyperspace level forward so that the stars turned to lines and those lines turned to the blue tunnel of hyperspace. As soon as he leaned back in his seat, Gira Kessar settled herself across his lap, wrapping one of her arms around his neck and placing the opposite hand on his chest. "Hello, Hubby. Is everything operating at peek efficiency?"

Malavai smiled brightly at his wife, something he had never done before he married her, and replied, "That they are, wife. May I trespass upon your indulgence and ask what our mission is? If I don't need to know, I do understand."

Gira kissed him to silence and said, "Aside from being my husband and the love of my life, you are also the captain of my ship. Our mission is to hire as many mercenaries and bounty hunters and assassins on Nal Hutta to kill two very specific Jedi Masters. It won't be a terribly long trip - perhaps a couple days."

As soon as he heard that, Quinn's face grew very serious. "The Barsen'thor and the Hero of Tython are our targets."

It wasn't a question. It was an observation. Gira nodded, not allowing his sudden seriousness to bring her good mood down. Gently, she rubbed the middle and index fingers of her right hand down the bridge of Malavai's nose. It was ever so slightly crooked from when Lieutenant Pierce had broken it but other than that, it looked as good as always. "So very handsome;" cooed the Sith Lord, doing her best to bring back her husbands previous mood of relaxed happiness.

She could tell that he was willing but his concerns were very powerful. "My love, from what I have studied on these two Jedi, they are the most formidable masters in the Jedi Order today. From what I hear, even the members of the Dark Council fear the Hero of Tython as a combatant and wherever this Barsen'thor goes, all of the Empire's hard work is undone."

Gira smiled and kissed her husband again before whispering. "That is why we are hiring mercenaries and the like, my husband. The fringers will flush them out and when we have found them and started to track them, our crew, Darth Nox's crew, the Champion of the Great Hunt and even the reprobate code named Cipher Nine will come together and kill or perhaps even capture these two powerful Jedi."

Malavai Quinn nodded understandingly and eased his mind a little. Satisfied that she was helping him relax and drawing all his attention that she could from his worries to herself, Gira pushed one hand up through his hair while she took the side of his face with the other and pulled him hungrily and insistently into a searing kiss. When it was close to being too much for them both, they separated, gasping and holding their chests as they tried to regain their breath. Malavai cleared his throat and said in a rather hoarse voice, "I think that hyperspace would be a great time to inspect the ship one more time. I know we've completely stocked everything we needed but we should still check the tools and everything at least one more time."

Gira smiled and sighed resignedly and stood. Proffering her hand to her husband, she pulled him up and said, "Alright. Let's get this done quickly. The sooner it's finished, the sooner I'm going to be able to make love to you again and again and again until neither of us can think of anything better to do than sleep - and make love again."

Together, they strode out into the main part of the ship. Vette was working on tidying up the place and Malavai chuckled, "You know, Vette, we have a droid for that sort of thing."

The pretty young twi'lek woman smiled and replied, "He's working on the rest of the ship right now. Pierce and Jaesa were both in the armory, cleaning and cataloging weapons and munitions last time I saw them. Broonmark is of no help so - you know."

Malavai and Gira chuckled together and continued their inspection tour of the ship. Everything in the cargo hold looked spotless and well ordered. The same went for the medbay, the armory - which was empty of any living person - and the crew quarters where 2V was tidying and cleaning while cheerful music played from his vocabulators. No where to be found were Jaesa and Pierce - that is until they came to the Sith Apprentice's quarters. As they approached the door, the most erotic, intimate noises could be heard and Gira and Malavai looked at each other in open mouthed surprise. "Oh kriffing hell, Pierce - why haven't we done this before? Oh stars! OH! I never knew you were sooo talented! OH KRIFF! Do that again! AAAHHHH! I think I'm gonna - Oh kriff! I think I'm gonna cum, Pierce. OOOOOHHHHH!"

Gira could feel the waves in the force around them. Jaesa was having the time of her life but the one thing that was as strong as Pierce's satisfaction was his terror of the Sith Apprentice who was apparently driving herself to completion over and over on the lieutenants sizable manhood. Slowly, Malavai and Gira slipped away and back to her quarters - which they shared equally. As soon as the door shut behind them, Malavai burst into the loudest, deepest and most heart felt laughter that Gira had ever heard him utter. It was strange and yet the Sith Lord always loved to see this side of her husband. She was laughing too and managed to say between convulsions of mirth, "Oh by the dark side of the force, I actually feel sorry for Lieutenant Pierce."

Malavai was still laughing but he managed to say, "I certainly don't. I am most anxious to see how this turns out for him. Who knows? Perhaps Jaesa will decide that she likes Pierce enough to be madly jealous and threaten to kill anyone and everyone he is with that isn't her. I think I foresee this being a most entertaining flight and mission, my love."

Gira was only half listening to what he said. The erotic noises coming from Jaesa's quarters had stirred her imagination and her libido. Slowly, as her husband began to control his mirth, she eyed him, a small, hungry smile on her face and one black eyebrow cocked suggestively. Malavai wrapped his arms around his wife and kissed her passionately.

 **Mature Content Ahead**

Quinn moved from her lips back to her ear and then, slowly, down the line of her neck and Gira leaned her head back and to the side with a sigh, her arms loosely wrapped around her husband's neck. "Methodical as ever, my love;" she murmured with a small gasp. Malavai smiled into the soft red flesh of her slender neck. "Would you like me to move things along, Wife?"

Gira gasped as he nipped at the pulse point on her neck before she managed a breathy whisper. "Whatever you wish, my husband; you are in complete control. In fact..."

She gently pushed them apart, stepped back and placed her hands behind her back, standing at parade rest as Quinn did for her when awaiting orders. "Command me, Captain;"

Quinn was a little surprised. Sure, his wife had been submissive during sex but she had never allowed him to command her. "My lo- my love, are you sure?"

Her red face broke into a tender smile. "I am, Hubby. I trust you with my life and my body. Besides, I know what you like. None of it is really THAT scary."

Quinn's face broke into a positively wicked smile. "Is that so, my love? Hmmm..."

Gira suddenly felt the first hint of a misgiving in her mind. "Don't make me regret this, Malavai."

The grin only grew and he said, "Of course not, my Love. My first order is that you come over her and allow me to continue to kiss you."

Gira smiled and obeyed, gliding into his arms and kissing him. She appreciated her husband's willingness to take it slow but she was burning inside. As they kissed, she slowly began to unfasten his uniform. Malavai chuckled into the kiss and separated slightly, leaning his forehead against hers. "My, my. Aren't we insistent, my love."

The Sith Lord giggled and said, "A man as yourself wouldn't understand. You see, when a woman has a great, handsome husband such as you, nearly loses him and then gets him back, she tends to take advantage of every opportunity and want to get to the, shall we say, _meat_ of the issue. Should I slow down, Captain?"

Malavai was passed slowing down. With a low growl, he attacked the black robe and tunic she tended to wear around the ship, nearly ripping it off until she stood in his arms, clad in a black tank top and panties as she removed his uniform, courteously hanging it neatly for him so that it didn't wrinkle. In moments, they both stood in just their undergarments. Gira stepped to parade rest again, which incidentally thrust her breasts obnoxiously out in Quinn's directions. With a smirk that showed she was completely aware of this, Gira asked in a sultry coo, "What else would you have me do, Captain?"

Malavai smiled and stepped behind her and murmured. "Quite simple, really. Raise your hands but don't move otherwise."

Slowly, he raised her black tank top over her head and dropped her black panties. Then slowly, tantalizingly, he began to run his hands over her magnificent body, starting at her neck and shoulders but moving forward and down from there. At the same time, he kissed and nibbled her neck, ears and shoulders. By the sounds she was making, Gira was enjoying this every bit as much as Malavai was. His right hand cupped one of her ample breasts and his fingers teased the nipple to an aching point while his left slipped lower and lower until it found its target. Gira squealed a little as two fingers began to rub the bundle of nerves between her silky folds. "You just love to play with my body, don't you, husband?"

Malavai chuckled huskily. "What's not to love about it, Wife? You are the most exquisite creature I have ever had the honor and pleasure of knowing."

His lips lowered back to her pulse point and his fingers began to move with greater insistence. Gira moaned again and again and bucked her hips in time with Quinn's fingers. The pressure within grew and grew until Malavai suddenly stopped. Gira moaned in protest but Malavai's husky voice cut her off. "Of course, my love, there is only one thing better than playing with your body."

In a voice that was breathless and barely audible, the powerful Sith Lord asked, " and what is that?"

"Tasting it;" whispered Quinn in her ear. "Lie down on the bed, Wife."

Gira obeyed quickly and without hesitation, lying down with her legs hanging over the edge and spread wide. Quinn chuckled again and lay himself somewhat on top of her, kissing her passionately and stealing her very breath away. He then slowly traveled down her neck and chest with his mouth, planting wet, opened mouthed kisses from her throat down to her breasts. These he paid special attention to knowing how crazy it drove her. Quinn suckled, nibbled, licked and kissed each of her dark red nipples over and over until she was begging him. "Please, my love. I need you."

Malavai smiled and then kissed his way down her body until he came to her dripping wet folds. With a grin of anticipation, he laved her seam from bottom to top, just brushing the engorged bundle of nerves with a teasing flick at the top. Gira moaned again, one hand bracing herself again the head board to try and push her into his tongue as it stroked her again and again while her other was fisted in his thick, dark hair. Quinn enjoyed this as much as his wife did, loving how she reacted to his ministrations. With a little swirl, Malavia circled his tongue around her clit, causing her to buck and scream with a mixture of pleasure, want and desperation. Malavai grinned and looked up. Gira's eyes were pleading as she gasped, "Malavai, oh Malavai..."

"Yes, my love? Do you wish something?" asked Malavai smugly. Gira tried to narrow her eyes at him but since they were already heavily lidded and nearly in the back of her head, it wasn't near as threatening as she had intended. "You know what I want, Malavai. Give it to me."

Gira dragged herself completely onto the bed and her husband crawled after her. Malavai looked as though he were about to do as she wished but stopped, grinning like a demon. "Beg me for it;" he said.

Gira narrowed her eyes and even Quinn knew he was on dangerous ground here. Gira opened her mouth to retort but Quinn quickly attacked her breasts with his mouth, suckling and nibbling at the hardened nipple. She moaned again, knowing full well that he was playing her like a fine instrument and not particularly caring. After switching over to her other nipple for several long moments, Quinn looked up again and whispered, "Beg."

Gira gave him a challenging look until two fingers slipped deep between her folds and she moaned. It was so cruel of him to tease her that way, not quite giving her what she wanted but still bringing her closer and closer to an orgasm with everything but it. Finally, unable to take his teasing any longer, she begged him for completion. "Please, Malavai - I need you. I can't take this sublime torture anymore. Please just - just KRIFF ME!"

Malavai kissed her senseless as he slid himself into her, causing her to utter a long, low whimper into his mouth. Slowly he began to pull out and thrust into her, each movement causing a veracious moan. Her hands dug almost painfully into his bare hips and her legs wrapped around his his waste. Suddenly, Gira yanked him down and began to whisper all manner of erotic things. At the same time, she tensed her legs muscles, forcing her husband to slow down. "Mmmmm, yes, my love, slam into me with everything you have! OHHH! OH YES! More!"

Suddenly, Gira flipped him over and rode him. Malavai reached around and cupped her round, firm behind, causing her to gasp. Her hands were on his shoulders, squeezing hard enough to leave black and blue bruises in the shape of her hands. Malavai moved his hands from her rear and kneaded her breasts, causing another gasp and the heated words. "Yes! Oh Yes! Squeeze my breasts. UGH! Don't stop, PLEASE!"

Just as Malavai was about to explode into oblivion, his wife stopped and looked down into his handsome face, pinning his arms beside his head so that he could no longer access her generous breasts. With a smile of complete and utter triumph, Gira said, "Beg me for it."

Quinn didn't bother hesitating. He was too close and, if her breathing and her quivering body were anything to judge by, so was she. "Please, my Lord - have mercy on me and finish this."

Kissing him with an utterly blistering kiss, Gira moved at a tremendous pace. It didn't last long, however. Malavai's entire body locked up as he came and Gira leaned backwards, covering her mouth and looking straight up as she did as well before falling forward onto him. They were both gasping and shivering and as lay there. After a few moments, Gira reached over and lovingly stroked Quinn's softening shaft, purring as she did, "You do know how to take me for a ride, don't you, my love?"

Malavai grinned as his chest heaved and he reached over to palm her breast, causing her to shiver again. "I'm glad I pleased you, wife."

He rolled over and nonchalantly began playing with one of her hard, dark red nipples again with his mouth, sucking it, licking the tight little bud and nibbling at the surrounding flesh. Gira sighed and said, "I take it that you would like to go again, Malavai."

Her long suffering tone of voice belied her own desire and Quinn knew her far too well. He stopped and said rather briskly, "We certainly don't need to, my Lord. I can get back to wo-" but she grabbed him and yanked him into a passionate kiss before guiding his face towards what he had been doing. "Oh no. You got me started now, husband. Only decent thing to do is finish me."

 **Mature Content End**

Two hours later, Quinn strode down the corridors of the ship. Looking at a mirror, he realized that his hair needed to be trimmed and that his face was in need of a shave. Cataloging the discovery in his datapad like mind, he continued his way through the ship. The ship was still on course for Nal Hutta and everything seemed to be in order. Before his relationship with Gira Kessar, he had dreaded hyperspace. It was boring and there was nothing to do. When they had become involved, it was often the only time they had any time alone. He slowly began to check out the rest of the ship and was surprised to find Lieutenant Pierce whistling quietly to himself in the armory messing around with the inventory list on a datapad. "Good evening, Lieutenant;" Quinn said coolly, only speaking to him because military courtesy could not allow him to do otherwise. The bigger man looked up and said, "Oh, it's you, Captain Quinn. Good evening. Just finishing up with a double check of the armory inventory - didn't exactly get to finish it last time."

Quinn smiled. "I see, got side tracked, did you? That's not like you, Lieutenant. What could possibly have shaken your concentration from work with weapons and munitions? I was under the impression that they were always your first love."

Pierce smiled an actual genuine smile. "They are Captain."

A respectful though still tense silence followed and Quinn nodded. "I'll leave you to it then. Keep up the good work, Lieutenant."

"Aye, sir;" muttered the larger man, preoccupied with his task. Quinn was heading back up when a feminine voice called him from behind. "Captain Quinn."

Turning, he was surprised to see Jaesa Willsaam wrapping a fluffy robe around her lingerie-clad form. For just a moment, he understood why Pierce had done it. Jaesa did have quite the body. "What can I do for you, Apprentice Wilsaam?" he asked, standing at a respectful parade rest. Jaesa brushed some of her dark brown hair aside and asked, "Have you seen Lieutenant Pierce? There is something that I wish to speak to him about."

Quinn was ever so careful now, not only hiding his smile and laugh but burying his amusement under respect and even a sprinkling of fear to try and throw her ability to sense people with absolute clarity. "I'm afraid I haven't, Apprentice Willsaam."

Her face fell and she said, "I see. Thank's anyway, Captain."

She passed him to continue her search when Quinn suddenly turned and said, "Though it does come to mind that I heard some whistling from the arms room. Lord Kessar is in our quarters, Vette is in the crew quarters, you were in yours and I don't think that Talz can even whistle so..."

Jaesa smiled and said, "Thank you, Captain. I'll check it out."

Quinn bowed as she ran off. A low chuckled came from behind him. "You certainly love making Pierce's life miserable, don't you, Hubby?"

Quinn shrugged as he turned to face his wife. She was dressed in her usual lounging attire - light robe over black tank top and comfortable lounging pants with soft slippers on her feet. Her rich black locks were tied back in a utilitarian tail. Even in such regular garb, Quinn always found her so beautiful. With a self-satisfied smirk, he replied, "Yes, my love, I certainly do. Come, let's see if we can witness the show from a place of obscurity."

They hustled into a side closet just as Jaesa and Pierce came by. Pierce was protesting ever so slightly. "But Jaesa, if I don't finish the arms room, the Captain will have my arse. It should be done before we land."

Jaesa only purred at him. "There will be plenty of time for that later, my love. Right now I need you to fulfill an ache that no one else can. Come along, Lieutenant."

Quinn covered his mouth to hide his laughter and Gira shook her head. "She is absolutely veracious. I thought I had an appetite but she..." and Gira began to giggle quietly. "Poor, poor Pierce."

Quinn just kept laughing long and hard at his subordinate's predicament.

* * *

They landed on Hutta and the majority of the crew left the ship. Lord Kessar, Captain Quinn, Lieutenant Pierce and Apprentice Willsaam all disembarked and went to a local mercenary enclave. It was a cantina where, even if not every mercenary in the galaxy was actually there, the a huge number of them at least had contacts there. As soon as Gira strode in, decked out in battle armor and a long black cloak, the room fell silent. Clearing his throat, Quinn called out, "We are posting bounties on two targets. If you wish to earn more money on one job than you have on your last ten, meet Wrath of the Empire Gira Kessar at her table and I will give you the necessary information."

As expected, they started out coming slowly, one or two at a time but before an hour had passed, the line was out the door of the enclave. As her Quinn and Pierce both briefed group after group of mercenaries on the two Jedi Masters, Gira and Jaesa shared a smirk. They had just purchased their own private army and that army would grow as word spread. Darth Nox was doing the same on Nar Shadda. When the two Dark Lords of the Sith were done, there would be nowhere in the galaxy that the Barsen'thor and the Hero of Tython could hide.

When they returned to the ship, Lord Kessar was very pleased. Nearly two hundred mercenaries, bounty hunters and assassins had been briefed on the targets and their crews. Each of them would find their own crews and the word would spread throughout Hutt Space and the rest of the Outer Rim like fire. As soon as they were aboard the ship, Vette called to Gira. "Hey Gira, Darth Nox commed and said to contact her as soon as you were back."

Gira thanked her and keyed in the frequency for the other Dark Lord. Immediately, she picked up. "Ah, my friend, how did the recruiting go on Hutta?" asked Darth Nox. She was taller, slim and quite attractive. Much like Gira, she ware comfortable clothes on her ship - shorts and a compression bra that left little to the imagination. Pierce left the comms room after a glare from Jaesa and Malavai kissed his wife before heading to the cockpit.

Gira smiled and said, "Oh it went very well, Lord Nox. At least two hundred beings were briefed and, since Jedi are involved, they will spread the word. How did it go for you?"

Nox gave a brilliant smile. "Better than I expected. I went from sector to sector telling everyone I could in the gangs and crime organizations. I even let it slip to the Hutt Cartel even though they are technically Republic allies. There was a clan of Morgukai Nikto warriors who were VERY glad to here the news."

From off screen, a tall, muscular man came up to Lord Nox and wrapped thick arms around her from behind. With a just slightly annoyed expression, Nox said, "This is the captain and pilot of my ship Andronikos Revel."

Gira kept the look of disdain off her face and smiled. "A pleasure to meet you, Captain Revel."

In a deep voice, the pirate said, "Pleasure's all mine but don't call me captain. I just fly this ship and keep the occupants that aren't Sith in line."

Gira's eyes widened slightly. "I see."

"Nikki, is the ship ready for take off?" asked Lord Nox. Gira had to keep from snickering. Nikki? The pirate nodded. "I was just coming to let you know. Where to next, Darlin'?"

Nox turned back to Gira. "Was the Champion on Hutta?"

Gira shook her head. "No, she was not. Neither was Cipher Nine."

Nox waved a hand. "I contacted Cipher Nine. He will meet us on Quesh. I will be on the look out for news of the champion. If you manage to contact her, have her meet us there as well."

Gira nodded. "Of course, my friend. Safe travels. I will see you soon."

The line cut off and Gira began to chuckle. Jaesa and Vette were giggling too. The blue skinned twi'lek said, "So... a pirate huh? Suddenly Quinn's military stuffiness doesn't seem so bad."

Jaesa shook her head. "No it doesn't. Master, does she always dress like that on her ship?"

Gira nodded her head. "She does. Quinn never felt comfortable talking with her on the holo-comms unit. He probably felt it was indecent."

Jaesa nodded. "I don't disagree with that."

Gira chuckled and said, "Well, I guess it's off to Quesh then. From one slimy, smoggy swamp planet to another. I guess we really ARE going back to work."

 **It's been a long time coming and I hope you enjoyed it. More to come soon. Please read, review and request.**

 **Updated 12.13.2017**


	6. Chapter 6: Return to the Station

Jaesa lay alone in her quarters, tears running down her face as she dreamed of her one time friend - the man whom she was now paying an army of bounty hunters and mercenaries to hunt down. As misery continued to wash over her, she whispered into the darkness of her quarters. "Please forgive me, Des. Please forgive me."

Of course, there was no forthcoming answer in the darkness. The shadows mocked her, only reinforcing the knowledge that it was darkness that had driven her away from her friends and her past and it was darkness driving her to do something that she still recognized as wrong and terrible. Every time she killed another traitorous Sith Lord, every time she slaughtered her and her master's enemies, she felt a rush of pleasure and adrenaline but accompanying that rush was the sickening feeling of guilt. With her eyes closed, she could see the tortured faces of her childhood friends Nedeser Thul and Alias Ordo. They haunted her dreams and stalked her during her waking hours whenever she closed her eyes. Jaesa dreaded the hours of being alone. At least when she was with someone, they could distract her. With a sob, Jaesa rolled out of her bed and headed towards the crew quarters. There slept Broonmark, Vette and Pierce. None of them woke to her stealthy presence as she entered the room. Pierce was lying on his side, his back against the metal bulkhead. Trying to resist letting out another sob, she lay down with the big man, letting his arm drape around her. "Jaesa, y'alright?" murmured the big man sleepily. "Just hold me, Pierce;" she said in a quiet, deceptively calm voice. Pierce grunted and hugged her to him. When she could tell that he was asleep, she allowed a small smile to cross her face and whispered ever so quietly, "Goodnight, Des."

* * *

The smoggy, humid world of Quesh was even worse the Nal Hutta. It's very air was poison and you had to either be inoculated or wear a filtered mask to survive it for very long. Luckily for them, Lord Kessar's crew were all inoculated. Jut before leaving the ship, the holocoms unit pinged and, when activated, Darth Nox appeared. "My friend, I have wonderful news;" said the human woman cheerfully. Lord Kessar waited as her friend and rival exclaimed, "the Champion of the Great Hunt is here with her crew. I will go to the Hutt's palace and speak to the mercenaries. You should go to the Champion's ship and tell her the news of the bounties."

Gira nodded. "Of course, Lord Nox. I will do so immediately and will report back when I am finished."

"Please do, Lord Kessar;" replied Darth Nox before cutting the line. Malavai Quinn was pleased, "Now we only have to deal with one small group of scum instead of an entire palace full. That is much better if you ask me."

Jaesa nodded, patting her newly built double bladed lightsaber as she commented, "A half dozen won't ever be a problem for us even if an entire palace would have been."

Gira looked around sternly and said, "We didn't come here to fight. We came here to contract killers and the Champion is actually a good friend of mine. Refrain from antagonizing Naina Guntair and her crewmates. Am I understood?"

They all acknowledged and Gira nodded. "We're all going, except 2V obviously. Keep your weapons in their places. No one so much as touches them without me giving the word, understood?"

They all confirmed again as the six of them strode down the ramp and headed towards the next landing bay over. As they approached it, a crew of six was exiting. One was Jawa of all things. Another was a Devoronian and another was a slim, attractive female cyborg. Another was a huge creature, a male Houk and looked fierce even though he didn't seem to be trying to. The two in the lead were both in the heavy armor of Mandalorian warriors - one male and one female. When the female noticed them, she pulled her helmet off, allowing short, copper colored hair to fall free. Gira smiled with pleasure. "Naina, I've been looking for you. How goes the bounty hunter business?"

Naina offered a small smile and shrugged. "So long as there are governments, there will be criminals and enemies and so long as there are any of these, my business will be going well. How are you, Wrath of the Empire?"

Gira chuckled at the lightly mocking tone of the Mandalorian. "I am well, thank you. I suppose you heard about the bounty on the two Jedi Masters - Nedeser Thul and Alias Ordo."

The male Mandolorian pulled his helmet off, cursed and spat when he heard the name 'Ordo.' Under his breath, he muttered in basic, "Jedi do not deserve the name."

"Easy, Torian;" muttered the young cyborg, patting the man's arm. Naina looked quite amused before turning back to Gira. "I have heard and I wish I could help. Unfortunately, I have faced enough Jedi to know that these two are beyond the skill of any bounty hunter or mercenary, even me and my crew. I'm sorry, my friend, but we're going to have to pass on this one."

Gira had expected this. Naina was shrewd about her targets, picking only those that were worthy but not picking those that were impossible. Choosing her words carefully, Gira said, "We are not asking that you and your crew hunt the Jedi alone. We are asking that you find them and lead us to them. Then, if you wish to earn more money, you can help Darth Nox and I capture or kill the Jedi Masters."

Naina chewed her plump lower lip as she considered for a long moment. When the silence had stretched for over a minute, she shook her head. "I'm sorry, Gira. I don't want to get involved with the Jedi. I am going to have to pass on this one. I do wish you the best of luck, however."

Gira sighed and nodded, knowing that Darth Nox would be furious about it. Naina chuckled and said, "Don't be so glum. Come on and I'll buy your whole crew drinks before we part ways, huh?"

Naina had always had a way like that with people. Gira chuckled and said, "Alright, one drink. Let's go."

* * *

A couple hours later, Gira and her crew returned to their ship. All of them were slightly buzzed since whenever Naina Guntair Cadera bought 'a drink' for her friends, it usually turned into to buying _drinks_ for her friends. Shortly after they got aboard, Gira purged herself of the effect of the alcohol and contacted Darth Nox. When the tall Sith Lord popped up, she said, "Ah, Gira, any word from the champion?"

Gira nodded with a disappointed sigh. "She turned us down, I'm afraid. I was unable to convince her at all to do it. Even so, I'm confident that we won't have a problem, even with two such Jedi Masters. The other bounty hunters will track them down, wear them down and then we will capture or kill them."

Darth Nox's face suddenly became hard and stern. "She said no. After everything we've been through together, Naina said NO? How could she do this to us? Even that sleazy Intelligence Agent Cipher 9 agreed to assist us. Why wouldn't she?"

Gira frowned at her friend. Darth Nox was clearly furious. In a calm voice, Gira replied, "He didn't have a choice, Nox. He's Imperial Intelligence which is over watched by a member of the Dark Council. The difference is that the Champion of the Great Hunt is answerable only to those who contract her and we did not. I'm sure I can bring her around though. Maybe we just need to sweeten the deal or perhaps prove to her that the mission isn't so dangerous."

Darth Nox suddenly became reflective. She smiled and said quietly, "Perhaps you're right, Gira. We will find a way to persuade Naina. Anyhow, we have contacted every mercenary, assassin and bounty hunter in one way or another and they have contacted others. Soon every fringer in the galaxy will be after them and it will only be a matter of time before we find the two Jedi Masters. All we need do now is wait. Contact me if you find anything out and I will do the same to for you."

Gira bowed and the connection was cut. Gira quickly headed to the cockpit where Quinn was preparing to take off. "Where to, my Lord?" he asked briskly. Gira smiled and said, "To the Imperial Fleet's main space station. I think that will be the perfect place. All Imperial holonet traffic goes through there so we will far more easily be able to keep tabs on everything."

"Right you are, my Lord;" replied Quinn. Skillfully, he took them up and out of Quesh's atmosphere and shortly there after, they made the jump to lightspeed.

* * *

Gira moved through the corridors of her ship with no particular purpose. She had changed into a black tunic and pants and a pair of soft shoes instead of the armor and boots that she usually wore on planet. Quinn was in the cockpit, reading over the systems manuals and maintenance manuals. Every now and again, he felt the need to do so, wanting to remain sharp. Vette was playing holochess with Jaesa in the main room and Broonmark was in the training room probably destroying the expensive training droids. As she made her way to the cargo hold, Gira sensed Pierce behind her. "Can I help you, Lieutenant?" she asked levelly. The big man bowed his head and said, "I wish that you could, my Lord."

Gira knew what the man wanted but she wanted to hear him say it himself, to have the satisfaction of denying him for one last and final time. "Speak your mind, Pierce. What is it that you want?"

Pierce snorted and said, "You know what I want, Lord Kessar. I want you. I want to be yours the way that Quinn is yours. I am more deserving than he is - stronger, smarter, more powerful and better in every way. You know that. I've showed you that before."

Gira shook her head. "That was a one time thing, Pierce and it was something that I regret. I no longer wish my husband any pain. I love him in a way that I could never feel for you."

"But why, my Lord? What makes him so damned wonderful?" demanded the man, no longer caring that he was treading very close to insubordinate. Gira glared at him and said, "It's quite simple, Lieutenant. Malavai Quinn keeps me sane. He keeps me from throwing myself so fully into the dark side that any attempt at retaining my humanity is burned away. He is my conscience, the cautious voice that keeps me safe."

Pierce scoffed. "He's holding you back in a way that I wouldn't dream of doing. He is keeping you from realizing your full potential."

To his surprise, the Dark Lord chuckled at him, a mixture of amusement and perhaps even a hint of fondness. "Oh Pierce, if you had been born strong in the force, what a Sith Warrior you would have made. You would have been an unstoppable juggernaut able to cleave through any enemy before him. But even then, eventually, someone would come along who was as shrewd as you were fierce and that shrewdness would be your end. Captain Quinn keeps me smart. He keeps me shrewd and advises me. I take into account every word he utters because each one is with my own good and the good of the Empire in mind. Can you say the same, Lieutenant?"

The big man frowned, gazing at her. He was a loyal soldier to Gira and to the Empire but he was a man of pure, unfettered passion - rage and lust had been the foundation of his career and his life. That was one reason he thought that he would make a better lover for the Sith Lord. Now he understood. She didn't wanted unbridled, uncontrolled passion. Gira Kessar wanted fully controlled and harnessed passion that she could retain or unleash as she saw fit. Even so, he was not a man to take loss lying down. "Is he better than me, my Lord? Does he make you feel better?"

Gira didn't care for any one being's pride or ego save her own and her husband's. "Yes he does, Pierce. Are we done here?"

Pierce bowed, his face tight with anger at the blow struck to his pride. He turned and left, marching towards the lounge where Vette had, once again, beaten Jaesa in holo-chess. The Sith Acolyte didn't use her force abilities since it was far more of a challenge. As Pierce walked in, Jaesa smiled and stood. To both the young women's surprise, he scooped Jaesa up and kissed her fiercely. After releasing her, he growled in her ear, "Got a minute, Jaesa?"

Jaesa's yellow eyes were filled with lust and she said, "I have as long as you want and longer too."

Quickly, she pulled him towards her quarters, leaving Vette shaking her head and wondering what the hell just happened and why.

* * *

Gira always knew where to find her husband just by where the ship was. In hyperspace, he would be in one of three places ninety percent of the time - their quarters with her, the cockpit or his medical station. She needed him and she needed him right then and there. He wasn't in their quarters or the cockpit so she hurried to his med station. Quickly, she shut the door as soon as she entered and threw herself into Quinn's arms. After thoroughly kissing him, Gira whispered, "Hello, Hubby."

Malavai chuckled and said, "Hello, my wife. Is everthing alright?"

Gira giggled and said, "Yes. Does something have to be wrong for me to want to kiss my husband?"

"No, of course not. I just wanted to be sure;" said Quinn with a gentle smile. They held one another silently before Gira whispered, "I just had a talk with Lieutenant Pierce."

Malavai resisted the urge to stiffen and managed to reply without any emotion in his voice. "Is that so? What about, may I ask?"

"I told him why I'm staying with you and why I love you so much and what you do for me. In doing so, I realized, once again, how much I love you and why and what a remarkable man you are. You are my better half, Malavai. You keep me cautious and wise. You keep me sain and you keep me from going so far into the dark side that I become a monster. If it wasn't for you, that would be my fate. It's the fate of the majority of Sith warriors."

Malavai was quiet for several long moments before saying, "True perhaps but most Sith Warriors do not become the Wrath of the Empire, do they, Beloved wife? It was your skill and power that got you where you are and no other reason."

Gira looked lovingly up into his eyes. "That is untrue, Malavai. Your support and your advise, your wisdom saw me through everything since Balmorra. Even when we were..." and she fell silent for a moment, trying to describe the time that she was angry with him. When she could not, she just continued, "... I still found myself wondering how you would handle a situation."

Quinn had no idea that she had done so, that she had looked up to him so much. "I live only to serve you, my love;" he murmured. Suddenly, Gira's yellow eyes blazed. "Then serve me, my Husband. Make love to me right here and right now."

Malavai smiled and growled, "With pleasure;" before lifting her and setting her on one of his examination beds and kissing her fiercely. Gira allowed herself to sink fully into passion and pleasure and love.

* * *

The station in the midst of the Imperial fleet was a massive transit station as well as the garrison of a large corp of the Empire's troops and the staging area for one of its fleets. When Gira Kessar's ship landed, most of the crew hurried down the ramp. Pierce wished to go and look into requisitioning some new gear. Vette wanted to look at some better and more interesting food supplies. Broonmark went with Vette for no other reason than he didn't want to stay on the ship. Jaesa went immediately to the training area to get some lightsaber practice in with someone other than her master. While they all left, Quinn and Gira stayed aboard and ravished one another over and over again. It was rare that they had the time where they were truly alone aboard the ship and that aloneness always riled them both. Each time, they found new ways to bring each other greater and greater pleasure and to draw it out longer and longer.

Vette had a hover cart filled with supplies she had purchased. After five hours of grueling work, she was pleased with her haul. Whistling and humming to herself, she went up the ramp and immediately headed to the cargo hold. She wasn't even paying attention and didn't notice until she was already well inside. On a stack of crates sat Gira, her arms and legs wrapped around Quinn's waist while she bit down onto his shoulder. They were both completely naked and the Captain was slamming into her again and again. Neither of them had noticed Vette so she turn around and quietly headed out the way she had come in, leaving the cart right there. She met Pierce on the way and said, "Do not go into the cargo hold, trust me."

"Why, Kid? What's wrong?" asked the big man nonchalantly. Vette looked horribly embarrassed. "I just walked in on Quinn and Gira. Do I need to spell it out for you?"

Pierce nodded in understanding and said, "Right. I'll just wait to put these up 'til they're done. Thanks for the heads up, Kid."

Broonmark was in the training area, putting new training droids in their proper places. Vette left immediately, not wanting to be on the ship if she could help it after spending so much time there. The Imperial station had a marvelous little cantina and she decided that she wanted to visit it.

* * *

Jaesa spun her double bladed lightsaber expertly and finished her most recent bout with a neat flick of her wrists. The Zabrack male she had been sparring sighed and called his weapon back to his hand. None of them had been able to beat her even once. Jaesa smirked and shook her head, clicking her tongue disapprovingly as she put her tunic and cloak back on. "I was hoping for a bit more of a work out than that, boys and girls. Oh well. I guess I'll just have to settle for what I got."

The male Zabrak said, "Oh I could give you a workout, just not one that involves a lightsaber."

Jaesa scoffed. "Please. If I wanted to get in bed with you, I wouldn't have started by beating you in a fight. I would have just told you so. After such a poor excuse for swordsmanship, I really couldn't be any less interested than I am right now."

With a seductive sway in her hips, Jaesa left the practice area, heading towards the cantina. As she passed individuals, she used her special force ability to read a beings true nature, scanning dozens of individuals one after the other. She was rarely surprised by what she sensed or felt. Beings and especially Sith tended to all be very similar on a basic sentient level. They wanted pleasure and power and often very little else. Sometimes, they pursued to the exclusion of anything else. However, when she reached the cantina, she read someone different than the others. His mind was focused entirely on his lust for - Vette! The blue skinned Twi'lek was drinking and enjoying a meal while she chatted animatedly with several other beings. Jaesa looked around the crowed, trying to determine where the emotions were coming from. A large man was sitting in the corner watching the young, blue skinned Twi'lek, his dark eyes filled with lust. Jaesa was tempted to just leave but she knew that she couldn't. Even if Lord Kessar wouldn't have been wrathful if Jaesa had let something happen to Vette, she was Jaesa's friend. The Sith apprentice took a seat and ordered some food and drink and waited. After a couple hours, Vette stood and headed out, followed at a distance by the large man. In turn, he was followed by Jaesa.

In a dark corridor between the turbolift banks and the hanger Gira's Fury-class Interceptor was in, Jaesa found Vette cornered by the big man. He was a Sith and had disarmed Vette. Anger flashed in Jaesa's mind and she ignited her weapon. The man turned and looked at her. "I would rethink that, Dear;" she said coolly. "That Twi'lek is a very close friend to the Wrath of the Empire."

His eyes widened and he backed away. "The Wrath?"

Jaesa nodded, "Yes, the wrath; now run along and I'll pretend none of this happened. Vette, are you alright?"

The young Twi'lek nodded as she gathered her blasters. "I hate men in this Empire. Why are they all such perverted jerks?"

Jaesa chuckled and said, "Who knows. Come on, let's get back."

They both went back aboard and sought out Gira, only to find that she was now in the med station with Quinn. Vette and Jaesa looked at one another awkwardly. "And you're sure they're both in their?" asked the blue skinned Twi'lek quietly. As if to answer, a loud moan was heard through the door and a gruff chuckle followed it along with the words of Lord Kessar. "Oh you are smug, aren't you?"

"I consider it a point of pride when I bring you to completion, my Love. It means that I can still take care of ALL your needs."

That was too much. The young women fled and wrote reports up of what had happened on the station to turn in to Gira later. Now, they had no desire to interrupt the lovers.

 **Updated 12.13.2017**


	7. Chapter 7: Rattling Cages

**Warning: Mature Content Ahead. Look out for the labeled section.**

Gira lay in her husband's arms, naked, tired and utterly sated. Her cheek rested against his chest, a smile plastered on her face that just wouldn't go away. She felt the deep chuckle rumble from his chest to her. She looked into his cool blue eyes and sighed playfully, "What are you laughing at?"

Malavai chuckled again and replied, "You have the most ridiculous smile on your face."

Gira slapped his chest lazily and said, "It's your fault, Hubby. You put it there. You are very good at making me smile."

Malavai ran a hand down her bare back, going lower and lower until she wriggled as he pinched her shapely rear. "Stop it! Really, Malavai, your obsession with my ass is not befitting an Imperial Officer."

Malavai cocked his head to one side, considering for a moment but then smiled and pinched her again, causing more wriggling and giggling from Gira as he replied, "Perhaps but I'm not a captain right now. I'm a loving husband with a beautiful and irresistible wife. Besides, I do not think that I would call my appreciation for your rear an obsession. Your breasts, however, are a different story."

Gira chuckled and rolled onto her back, leaning back against him and settling in more comfortably. To prove his own point, Malavai gazed through lidded eyes at his wife's ample breasts. She lifted her arms and wrapped them around her husband behind her and cooed, "I'm giving you access, Malavai. Are you going to take advantage or just look at me?"

* * *

After another several hours, about zero-eight hundred galactic standard time, they finally emerged from the med bay. Vette saw them and chuckled, shaking her head. "Shut up;" said Gira cheerfully. "Didn't say anything;" called Vette as the Sith Lord headed towards the galley. Malavai was humming quietly and Vette gave him a scared look. "Um... Quinn... are you humming?"

Quinn stopped and realized that he was. With a shrug and a chuckle, he said, "Yes I was, Vette. What can I say? I'm really in a good mood."

Vette lifted a hand and said, "I don't wanna know, I'm just glad to see that you are relaxing. I remember when Gira and I first met you. You were so uptight that I was sure you would have a stroke the first time you heard me call Gira by her first name. Now look how far you've come? You're married to and kriffing a Dark Lord of the Sith. You're smiling and even humming!"

Malavai tried to shoot her a severe look. "That's enough of that, young Twi'lek. Now go along and finish your chores."

In response, Vette stuck her tongue out but then stood and said, "Oh, by the way, Cap, this is a report of a Sith Acolyte trying to assault me on the station. Jaesa was kind enough to put a stop to it but I figured that you and Gira should know."

Malavai frowned and glossed over it. All business, he said, "I'll bring this to Lord Kessar's attention immediately. Thank you, Vette;" and he started towards the galley. At the door he turned around and shot her a mock glare. "Now back to work, young lady;" he said before leaving, narrowly missing being hit by a sofa cushion.

He chuckled smugly to himself but then grew very serious. This was the second time an Acolyte had attempted to assault Vette. It seemed as though the girl was a magnet for trouble. It wasn't surprising. She was attractive and she was an alien. In the Empire, that made her nothing but an object, a toy to play with. The only beings in the Empire who mattered aside from the Sith Lords were humans and pure bloods. Everyone else were considered second class citizens no matter how great an asset they are. Malavai himself did not hold with this belief but he was the exception, not the norm.

In the galley, Gira was humming to herself as she waited for a couple of pre-cooked nerf steaks reheated and some dried veggies to rehydrate. Malavai watched her as she stood there. She was so beautiful to him, wearing a tank top, a light robe, comfortable pants and a pair of light slippers. He chuckled to himself, thinking that it looked so very domesticated - though he would never tell her that. Gira would probably take it as a dig. At worst, she would start wearing those Sith tunics and robes again and Malavai enjoyed how the tight tank tops and the lounging pants made his wife's assets look. His chuckle had alerted Gira to his presents and she turned, smiling happily at him. "You have gotten into the habit of laughing at me, Malavai Quinn. I might have to start punishing you for it."

Quinn chuckled again and said, "I would never mock you, my love. I'm much too frightened of your awesome skill and power. I was just admiring the figure you cut in regular, rather un-Sith clothing. You are breathtaking, my dearest love."

Gira turned a slightly darker shade of red and looked away, huffing slightly. "Now you've gone and made me blush, Hubby."

His smile became mischievous. "Are you going to punish me for that, Wife?"

Gira laughed and said, "No. I think I'll reward you instead for such a remarkable feat."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him tenderly. Quinn reveled in the contact for several long moments. But his duty as his Lord's captain pressed and he pulled away and said, "We can get back to that in a few minutes, my love. These reports were written by Jaesa and Vette. I think you should take a look."

Gira gave a slightly reproachful look as she took them. "Those two know they don't have to do this. They can just come talk to me."

Quinn fidgeted and said, "I believe we were a little wrapped up in something at the moment when they needed to talk so they did this instead."

Gira chuckled and said, "I think you were wrapped up in me at the time. Anyhow..." and she paused, a cute little frown crossing her face. After several minutes of reading she looked up and there was a cold anger on her face and in her eyes. "I am getting rather tired of people trying to abuse my people. Come, let's go handle this."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Malavai and Gira strode through the station towards the cantina. They had a holo of the acolyte they had obtained from a security droid that Malavai had sliced. In the cantina, they saw the acolyte in a dark corner, looking like a predator stalking pray and observing a trio of young female Imperial officers, two Humans and a Chiss. They were all fairly attractive. Gira was in no mood to hunt. She marched straight up to the acolyte and said, "Listen carefully, Acolyte. A few hours ago, you tried to rape a young, blue skinned Twi'lek girl. She is my companion. The only reason you are not dead is because I am feeling merciful. If I hear that she has trouble with you or anyone else ever again, they will die painfully. Spread the word, Acolyte - Vette, the blue skinned Twi'lek companion of Gira Kessar, Wrath of the Empire, is off limits. The penalty for disobedient is death."

The acolyte stood and studied her before saying, "I don't care who your companions are, Wrath. You don't intimidate me."

In one single motion, her lightsaber was out, ignited and cutting through the acolyte's neck. In another, it was closed down and clipped to her belt, all before the body hit the ground. With that, she turned and they both left. It was less than an hour later that the comms unit went off and Quinn answered, already knowing what it was about. A tall and powerful looking Zabrak with red and black tattoos stood there. "Go and get your master, Captain;" he said coldly. "No need, Captain Quinn. I'm right here. Who am I addressing?" said Gira as she strode out, still wearing her more comfortable lounging clothing. The Sith Lord glared at Gira and spat out, "You killed my prized apprentice, Wrath of the Empire. Explain yourself!"

Gira shrugged and said, "He tried to rape my friend. When I confronted him, he challenged me and I won, plain and simple."

The Sith Lord snarled. "I do not care about your servants, Wrath. I care about the Sith Order. No slave is worth the life of an acolyte, especially not such a talented acolyte."

Gira glared and coolly said, "He wasn't that talented and this was not a slave. She is my friend and like a sister to me. Let me be clear, Vette, the blue skinned female Twi'lek is off limits. Spread the word, Lord. Death will be the penalty."

The Zabrak roared, "Your commands mean nothing! I am going to find you and kill you and make your friend my sex slave for the remainder of her days, do you understand?"

He opened his mouth to continue only to have his eyes widen. A strangling choking sound came from the comms and Gira said, "I am Gira Kessar, Wrath of the Empire and you are nothing to my power. I should say that you _were_ nothing to my power. You're dead now."

With that, the Sith Lord dropped dead. Gira called out, "Whoever is still there, answer me!"

In came a female human. "What is it, my Lord?"

"Everything that belongs to - whoever that was - now belongs to me. His servants and his apprentices are now mine. Take an inventory and inform the Dark Council. I've a feeling that one of the Dark Lords is going to be angered by the death of one of his underlings."

"Of course, my Lord;" and the comms cut off. After a moment of silence, Quinn asked, "Are you alright, my Love?"

She turned to him and smiled sadly. "I do not enjoy killing members of my Order, Hubby, anymore than I enjoy killing Imperials. It is such a shame but that is the way of the Sith. Anyhow, let's go and eat. I am hungry."

Before she could walk away, Quinn wrapped her tightly in his arms and just held her for several long minutes - until both of their stomachs began to rumble. Malavai let her go and gazed at her. With a grateful smile, Gira whispered, "Thank you, Malavai. Come on. Let's eat."

* * *

Jaesa paced back and forth in her quarters, impatiently waiting for Pierce to return from whatever errand that Lord Kessar had sent him on. Vette watched her and sighed, "Jaesa, what is the matter with you? Are you in heat or something?"

Jaesa actually chuckled at that. "Yes, something like that. Tell me something, Vette, I have never seen you get laid. I've never seen or even heard of you having sex since you've been here with Gira. What's the deal? You have guys fawning after you everywhere you go."

Vette blushed, a violet hue touching her cheeks. "If I tell you, you're going to laugh at me."

"No, I won't. Well... I might but I'm going to try not to, I can promise you that."

Vette chuckled and said, "Well... okay. My mother always told me that I should save myself for the man that I love so that's what I'm doing. It's hard some times but the good news is that if you haven't done something, you don't really know what your missing."

Jaesa was silent before walking up to her friend and taking both her hands. "Let me tell you something, Vette, love is a very, VERY rare thing. You hear about it all over and it seems abundant but in our line of work - in the Empire, it's rare. If you wait, you will be looking for a very long time and you may never, ever find it. Just think about it before you decide on that."

Vette's eyes widened and she studied her older friend before whispering, "What happened, Jaesa? Why are you talking like that?"

Jaesa looked away, her mind going back to many wonderful, yet painful memories. Memories of Dantooine when she was a Jedi Initiate with Alias Ordo and her beloved Nedeser Thul. Fast forward to when Gira Kessar had defeated Jaesa's former Master Noman Karr and given her this vision of being a Sith Lord - one that would be instrumental in changing the Empire and the Order of the Sith. The feelings of freedom had been absolutely euphoric. She had thrown herself into the life, training hard of course but also giving in to her passions. Every port, she would get drunk and find someone to sleep with. At one point, she had even gone back to a some smuggler or pirate ship, she could never remember which one it was. Anyhow, the man had taken off, forgetting that she was aboard and turned right back around when he found out that she was. He wasn't bad looking sober and in the light of day. He had longish hair and a tatoo on his cheek. What was his name? Skalak? Skavar? Something like that. "Jaesa?"

"It's simple, Vette; love is for the fortunate or the foolish. It would be best to have fun and give into your pleasure while you can."

The door to the boarding ramp opened and Jaesa bee lined for the door, flinging herself at Pierce and laying a dozen burning kisses on him. "I've been waiting for you. What took you so long?" she cooed to him. Pierce chuckled and said, "I was on an errand for Lord Kessar. Give me five minutes to report to her and then I'm all yours."

V2 was washing up the dishes while Gira sat on Quinn's lap and they made out at the table. Pierce cleared his throat and said, "It was a successful mission, my Lord. Our contacts with the local Revanite sect are still fully supporting us - for the moment."

"That's good, Pierce. You may go about your business. I know that Jaesa is waiting for you."

Her suspicion was proved when a small hand appeared and yanked him in the directions of the crew quarters.

* * *

 **Warning: Mature Content Ahead**

Jaesa had Pierce in a seering kiss as they staggered into her quarters. The only beings who got private quarters were Gira and Jaesa do to their status as Sith. "Take this ridiculous armor off, Pierce. No one is trying to kill you on this ship."

"Sometimes you make me wonder about that, Jaesa;" he chuckled as he went for the buckles of his armor. Jaesa was already down to her undergarments, which was a set of black, lacy lingere that hid next to nothing and was about to be destroyed anyway. She crossed her arms and tapped her bare foot impatiently. When the last piece of plating came off, she attacked the zipper of his under armor body suit and ripped it down, revealing an expanse of hairy, muscular chest. Pierce had just a little extra fat but Jaesa didn't care. He had everything he needed where it counted. "You look ravishing, Jaesa;" he rumbled. "Then ravish me!" she commanded and he swept her into his arms, flung her on the bed and obeyed. He ripped the scant garments off and lavished her body with open mouthed kisses and love bites. Jaesa moaned erotically and simply enjoyed his ministrations. His skill came from decades of experience. When he reached her generous and mauled them tenderly, she screamed with pleasure. The throaty chuckled from Pierce was followed by him biting down lightly on a taught nipple before kissing and sucking on it. Jaesa screamed again and said, "More, Pierce! I want more! Suck my tits more!"

He did, lavishing them with firm bites and sucking on them. One of his large hands slipped down her flat stomach, sticking a finger in her naval and corkscrewing it. Jaesa gasped and her hips bucked. "No don't! You know I'm ticklish!"

Pierce chuckled wickedly and did it again. "Pierce!" she shrieked but didn't protest or swat at his hands so he kept going. Rather than giggle or fight it, Jaesa began to moan when he did it. After one last suck on her nipples, Pierce slid down her body, driving his tongue into her naval, eliciting more moans. "Dammit, Pierce! I need you inside me!"

"Okay;" he growled and pressed to large fingers between her folds. "Hey! That's not what I... OOHHH!" and she bucked hard as he began to thrust his fingers in and out of her. Quickly, Jaesa went from protesting to begging. "Don't stop! Don't you dare stop, Pierce!"

He didn't, working her to the very point of climax before pulling out. Jaesa cried in frustration. He had left her hanging on the very brink. Seeing that he was moving between her legs, she quickly spread them and used the force to yank him deep inside her, moaning with pleasure. "Kriff me, Pierce! Kriff me like my life depended on it!"

Pierce thrust three times and it flung her hard over the edge of oblivion. That didn't stop him though. This is how Jaesa liked it. She loved being kriffed into sensory overload and being slammed hard while trying to come down from a climax only intensified it. She couldn't even speak, couldn't even breath as he gripped her hips and slammed into her again and again. When his own climax came, they both groaned together and Jaesa gasped, finally remembering how to breathe. She eyed him and said, "Rest up, Baby. I want more."

"Of course," he growled and lay back, enjoying the bliss. but Jaesa was impatient. Slowly, she dragged herself over his body, making sure that her ample breasts and core brushed against his body and she began to kiss and lick and nip his body, one hand teasing his manhood. Pierce's eyes popped open and he said, "Damn, Jaesa! You are even more veracious than normal. Is everything alright?"

"It is - or will be once you start kriffing me again. I need this big, thick member in between my legs again. I need the friction, Pierce. I need your mouth all over my body again. I need you to do that thing where to corkscrew in my naval again. I never thought I'd enjoy that so much. It's just on the edge of tickling, right before I want to start laughing but all the tingling drives me utterly crazy. Damn it, hurry up, Pierce!"

Unwilling to wait, Jaesa shimmied backwards and give his partially hardened manhood a long, slow lick before beginning to suck on it veraciously. Pierce's beady eyes went wide and he groaned, "By the dark lords, Jaesa!"

When he was good and hard and well lubricated, Jaesa impaled herself on him and leaned forward so that her breasts were in his face. At a tremendous pace, she bounced on his manhood while his mouth began to lavish her nipples with attention. One hand snaked between them and teased her naval again, making her shriek with pleasure over and over again. "Pierce! Oh stars, PIERCE!"

Pierce felt the air began to charge with electricity around them and began to feel anxious. Was she about to lose it while riding him like a ronto? Moments later, she screamed with release but that didn't stop her. Pierce, deciding to take control of the situation, rolled and picked her, pinning her against the wall and pounded away at her. Force lightning began to flicker from her fingers and Pierce felt fear begin to fill him but he didn't dare stop. Again, she came hard and kicked him off before turning and putting her hands against the wall. "More!" she demanded.

Pierce entered her from behind and thrust into her again and again. Since her hands were far away from him now, or at least not pointed at him, Pierce felt his own climax approaching but was determined to make her cum one more time. They both climaxed at almost the same time and lightning flashed all over her body, shooting Pierce back with the force of it, though it didn't do any damage and actually stimulated him to a surprising degree. Without Pierce's support, Jaesa crumpled to her knees, mewling in pleasure and glancing over at Pierce, who lay on the floor gasping and staring blankly at the ceiling. "Are you okay?" she asked. Pierce gave a gasping laugh and said, "You should do that every time, Darlin'. That was incredible."

Jaesa crawled over to him and stroked his sweaty chest. "It wasn't even on purpose but I'm glad you enjoyed it. No one can satisfy me like you can, Dear."

Suddenly, the door flew open and there stood Lord Kessar, a lightsaber in her hand. Seeing the scene in front of her, she burst out laughing and walked away. Quinn looked mildly disgusted as he holstered his blaster pistol and followed her. Jaesa was blushing and said, "Well get ready, Dear; we're not going to live this down any time soon."

Pierce was still high from his climax and he chuckled, "I'll worry about it later. Right now, I'm just going to enjoy this."

 **End of Mature Content**

* * *

Gira was training in the main area, practicing her lightsaber forms with a single weapon and with her twin blades. Quinn watched in rapture as she moved gracefully and fluidly, committing to memory how her raven hair, which was breaking free from the utilitarian tail, swished back and forth. He memorized how her muscles, all well defined and lean, tensed and relaxed. Quinn memorized how her breasts bounced and jiggled with every move, knowing that they wouldn't do so in her combat armor and he watched how her well shaped ass looked in the very tight work out pants she wore. For three hours, she worked on her technique and her mastery and the entire time, Quinn watched her. When it was over, she turned to him, her red skin glistened, her hair shined and her eyes were bright. "You are very distracting when you stare at me like that, Malavai."

"Well then consider me a training aid, Darling;" he quipped back dryly, causing her to laugh. He was going to embrace her when she lifted her hands and said in self conscious protest. "No, Malavai; I must smell like hell and look like a Kaas swamp serpent."

"You look ravishing and I don't really care how you smell, wife."

Before he could embrace her, the holocoms unit went off. Using the force, Gira activated it. Naina Guntair, Champion of the Great Hunt was there and Gira smiled with pleasure. It didn't last long, however. "Please tell me you weren't involved with this, Gira."

Gira was stunned at the hurt and anger in the Mandalorian champion's voice. "What the hell are you talking about, Naina?"

"My husband, Gira. Nox has just kidnapped my husband and threatened to kill him if I didn't agree to help you hunt the Jedi."

Gira's mouth dropped open in shock. At first, she was utterly nonplused that Darth Nox would do this to a friend. After several moments though, it wasn't that far fetched. Nox was a woman and Dark Lord who did what she had to in order to get what she wanted, even when dealing with those she considered friends. "I was not involved, Naina, and I assure you that I will most definitely talk to Darth Nox about this. I do not condone kidnapping our friends simply because they disagree with us."

"But do you condemn it, Gira?"

"Yes;" she said firmly, "if I have to, I'll will bring this up to the Dark Council and condemn it even before them."

Naina's face softened just slightly, so that anxiety was the only emotion that showed. She almost looked vulnerable now. With a sigh and rubbing her temples to stave off a growing headache, Gira said, "But the truth is that we could really use your help and would pay you most handsomely if you helped us, Naina. If these Jedi were to fall, the Jedi Order and the Republic would follow quickly."

"If I refuse? Will you deny me help in rescuing my Torian?"

Gira gasped. "Of course not! By the Dark Lords, Naina! Whether you assist us or not, I consider Nox's actions extreme and terrible."

Naina nodded. "Good. I'm glad that there is some honor among the Sith. Do you know where she is right now?"

Gira shook her head. "No, but I will find out immediately. I must go and investigate this, Naina. I shall communicate with again shortly."

 **Updated 12.13.2017**


End file.
